SB 401 
.L54 
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54 

>y 1 



CALIFORNIA 



WALNUT INDUSTRY. 



COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE, LONGEVITY, POLLINATION, VARIETIES, PLANTING, 

SOIL, PROPAGATION, BUDDING, GRAFTING, PRUNING, HARVESTING; 

ENEMIES OP THE WALNUT, AND REMEDIES; AREA OF 

WALNUT CULTURE IN STATE, IN AMERICA, 

AND IN EUROPE, ETC. 

By B. M. LELONG, 

Secretary State Board of Horticulture of California, and Chief Horticultural Officer. 



Author's Edition, from Report State Board of Horticulture for 1895-6. 

EXCHANGED. 




SACRAMENTO : 



S A. J. JOHNSTON, 



: SUPTERINTENDENT STATE PRINTING. 
1896. 



V 




CALIFORNIA 



STATE BOARD OF HORTICULTURE. 



ELLWOOD COOPER, President Santa Barbara. 

Commissioner for the Los Angeles District. 

MARK L. McDONALD, Vice-President Santa Rosa. 

Commissioner for the Sonoma District. 

FRED C. MILES, Treasurer Penryn. 

Commissioner for the El Dorado District. 

R. D. STEPHENS, Chairman Executive Committee Sacramento. 

Commissioner for the State at Large. 

FRANK A. KIMBALL. National City. 

Commissioner for the State at Large. 

SOL. RUNYON Courtland. 

Commissioner for the Sacramento District. 

BEN M. MADDOX.... Visalia. 

Commissioner for the San Joaquin District. 

A. BLOCK Santa Clara. 

Commissioner for the San Francisco District. 

FRANK H. BUCK Vacaville. 

Commissioner for the Napa District. 



B. M. LELONG, Secretary... Ex officio Chief Horticultural Officer. 

ALEXANDER CRAW .....Quarantine Officer. 

ELLA F. HALLAHAN Clerk. 

OFFICES: 

State Capitol Sacramento, Cal. 

Branch Office: 
Clay-Street Dock, San Francisco. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE 5 

THE "ENGLISH" OR "PERSIAN" WALNUT 5 

LONGEVITY OP THE WALNUT 8 

POLLINATION 9 

ORIGIN OF IMPROVED HOME VARIETIES 12 

VARIETIES OF THE WALNUT (Juglans regia, Linn.) 13 

PLANTING, SOIL, AND. OTHER REQUIREMENTS 19 

PROPAGATION 25 

BUDDING THE WALNUT.. 26 

GRAFTING THE WALNUT 27 

THE BLACK WALNUT {Julans nigra, Linn.) 30 

PRUNING THE WALNUT 32 

HARVESTING 33 

ENEMIES OF THE WALNUT 35 

AREA OF WALNUT CULTURE IN STATE _ 39 

CULTURE RANGE OF THE WALNUT {Juglans regia) IN THE UNITED 

STATES 41 

WALNUT-GROWING IN EUROPE. 42 




An Eight-Year-Old Walnut Tree. 
From the seed; being the age seedling walnut trees begin to bear. 



THE WALNUT. 



By B. M. LELONG, 
Secretary State Board of Horticulture, and Chief Horticultural Officer. 



(1) COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE. 

Holding a prominent place among the fruit products of California, 
stands the walnut. This position has been attained in the past few years, 
and is due to the results of experience — and many failures — which have 
shown the proper conditions under which this fruit will thrive, its require- 
ments in soil, climate, and location, and the production of varieties 
adapted to the peculiarities of our State. The old-time saying that the 
area of walnut culture in the State " is very limited " and confined to 
any particular section, has, by happy chance, proved a fallacy, and is 
disproved by the numerous productive orchards that bear witness to its 
successful culture. While the early plantings were made in the southern 
counties, where the culture of the walnut is pursued with great magni- 
tude, the industry is gradually spreading and broadening. While the 
walnut will withstand a very low temperature, it is very susceptible to 
sudden changes, and a hot day suddenly following a frosty night will 
chill the young wood, and often proves fatal to a young orchard, setting 
it back a season's growth. The same is true in the springtime on the 
opening of the flowers or catkins — a chill will frequently cause them all 
to drop and render, the crop a failure. For this reason a location free 
from prevailing frosts, or one where the sun will not strike the trees 
until the effects of the cold have been overcome, is very desirable. The 
latter trouble can be largely overcome by planting some of the late- 
blooming varieties, which do not send forth their catkins until danger 
from frosts is largely past. 

California walnuts are fast supplanting those from foreign countries. 
Only a few years ago the growers of these nuts here had a very hard 
struggle to introduce them, being obliged to accept the humiliating price 
of from 3 to 6 cents a pound less than that paid for imported walnuts. 
Gradually, however, a reduction came, in favor of the California product, 
and now Eastern dealers will take our best walnuts at prices equal to, 
and in many cases exceeding, those obtained for those coming from 
abroad. Our State affords a splendid field for the walnut industry, and 
although thousands of trees have been planted, and the acreage is being 
extended every year, it is believed that overproduction need not be feared. 
Our producers have all America for a market, and they are not slow to 
appreciate the advantages of their position. 

(2) THE "ENGLISH" OR "PERSIAN" WALNUT. 

The walnut (Juglans* regia, Linn.) is a native of Persia, and is sup- 
posed to have been introduced into our State by the Franciscan monks 

* Juglans is a genus of trees consisting of six species ; three are natives of the United 
States, viz.: J, nigra, or black walnut; J. cinerea, or butternut, and J. fraxinifolia, or 
ash-leaf walnut. The otber three species are J. regia, "English " or "Persian " walnut; 
J. pterocarpa grows on Mount Caucasus, and J. baccenta in Jamaica and Spain. 



i; THE WALNUT — " ENGLISH " OK "PERSIAN." 

during the establishment of the California Missions in 1769. Records 
of its early history are scant, but mention is made of walnut trees grow- 
ing about' the Missions by most of the writers of the "Record of the 
Founding of Missions," and the " History of Franciscan Missions of 
Californi:i,*' and, therefore, it is safe to assume that with the advent of 
the Missions dates the introduction of this valuable tree. In the Mission 
yards are yet to be seen walnut trees of those early plantings, and while 
age began to tell on these many years ago, they still live and bear nuts, 
but few in number and small in size. 

*" When I first arrived in Los Angeles, in December, 1854, there were numerous small 
bearing 'English ' walnut orchards and sundry isolated large trees which could not have 
been less than ten years old, and some of which must, I am confident, have been more 
than twenty-five (25) years old. 

"In talking to-day with Mr. Stephen C. Foster, he fully corroborates my view, that 
the English walnut was first brought to Los Angeles, or to California, by the Missionary 
Fathers, or by individual laymen during the missionary era. Mr. Foster says that when 
he came here, in 1847, there were several large English walnut trees here, that he is 
certain were not less than twenty years old. One of these was on the old Pryor place, on 
Alameda Street, which I remember well, and another on the old Louis Vigne property, 
etc., which would make their planting extend back to 1827, or before. So that i think it 
would, without doubt, be historically true to say that the cultivation of the so-called 
'English' walnut was commenced in California as early as the first quarter of this 
century (and possibly still earlier) by the Mission Fathers, or under their patronage and 
encouragement. 

" It would have been a very easy and natural thing to do, for persons coming here by 
sea to have brought a few walnuts, and for the Friars to have planted some of them. 
What could have Deen more natural than for the priests or other officials, civil or military, 
who came from Spain, to desire to raise, in this fertile country and mild climate, all those 
useful fruits and food products that they were familiar with in their native land ? We 
are all compelled to admire the practical forethought of the organizers of even the very 
first expedition in 1769, Galvez, Serra, etc., in this respect." 

The most careful research as to the early walnut plantings has been 
made, showing that among the first walnut orchards of early history, 
planted outside of the Missions, were those of the late Col. J. J. Warner, 
in San Diego (supposed to have been planted in 1843, on a ranch named 
after him, and which name it still bears — "Warner's Ranch"), the 
Pryor, Vigne, Wolfskill, Dalton, Boyle, Shaw, Childs, and Briswalter 
orchards at Los Angeles, the Temple orchard at La Merced Ranch in the 
San Gabriel Valley, the Heath orchard at Carpinteria, and the Wilson 
and Kewefl orchards at San Gabriel. A small planting was made in 
1846, near Calistoga, by Frank E. Kellogg, Sr. The largest of these 
plantings are the Heath, Briswalter, and Temple orchards. The Bris- 
walter is of most recent planting; the Heath orchard is the largest in 
the State of early history. It is impossible to ascertain the exact years 
these orchards were planted, as all the persons above mentioned (except- 
ing Mr. Heath) have since passed away. These orchards are said to 
have been set out from 1850 to 1865; however, the only authoritative 
information I can find is the statements of several persons, whose minds 
are not clear as to the exact time. 

t"ln 1858, the year 1 obtained in y walnut seed of Mr. Wolfskill, of Los Angeles, I 
had no knowledge of walnuts being planted in this State, except those planted by the 
Mission Fathers. The trees from which my seed was taken were planted by the Fran- 
ciscan Fathers. The Wolfskill place, in Los Angeles, was an old garden of the Mission. 
Mrs. Wolfskill was a native Spanish lady of Los Angeles, and informed me that the vine- 
yard and walnuts were bearing when she was a small child, in fact she did not know the 
age, they were large trees. Judging from the oldest trees 1 have at present, I think those 
walnut "trees must have been over fifty years old in 1K58. 1 made inquiry for walnut 
trees with the view of purchasing, and could not find any one who had tried their culture 

* Letter from H. D. Barrows, a pioneer, February 29, 1896. 

t Letter from Hon. Russell Heath, of Carpinteria, February 27, 1896. 



THE WALNUT — " ENGLISH " OR "PERSIAN." 7 

«xcept the Mission Fathers. I was advised to plant walnuts by Reverend Father Gon- 
zalez, head of the Franciscan Missions, who resided for many years in Santa Barbara. 
P'rom him I obtained much of its history taken from documents in his possession. The 
nuts were brought from Spain, first planted in Mexico, and taken from there to South 
America. The first planting in California was at San Diego ; two at San Gabriel, Los 
Angeles County, three in Los Angeles. From my information, I think the Wolfskill 
place was one of the first planted in what is now the City of Los Angeles. After 
the Mission at Santa Barbara was established, there was a propagating garden estab- 
lished and seeds and plants brought from the Mission south. Father Gonzalez told me 
no walnuts were planted, but almonds were, but they were not considered a success and 
were abandoned, while the olive, grape, fig, pomegranate, and some other fruits were 
cultivated with great success. There was no record of the walnut having been planted 
north of the Mission of San Buenaventura, where I saw for the first time a walnut 
tree in 1852." 

*" Father never spoke to me of the ' English' walnut orchard that was set out; but 
speaking to Don Ramon Valenzuela, who was in father's service in 1849, he said that in 
that year he plowed the orchard, and that then a few of the trees were commencing to 
bear. As you know how long it takes the trees to bear.t you can judge how old they 
were at the time. Don Miguel Pryor had just one walnut tree older than ours, but 
father was the only owner of an orchard at the said time." 

X " I think Mr. Wolfskill's orchard (now dug up and land turned into streets and 
building lots) had been planted at least ten years at date of my arrival here, last of 1854, 
and Mr. Elijah Moulton is of the same opinion. Mr. Coronel, Colonel Warner, and Gov- 
ernor Pico would probably have known, but all three of them have died within the past 
two years. The Andre Briswalter walnut orchard of 1,000 trees must have been planted, 
I think, as early as the 60's, if not in the late 50's. J. R. Barton, Sheriff, had planted a 
walnut orchard on his ranch at Los Nietos River before he was killed by the bandits in 
January, 1857." 

In almost every county of the State are found large walnut trees 
showing great age, planted very irregularly among other trees, indicating 
that no attempt had been made to produce a walnut orchard by itself, 
but were planted by the growers to experiment as to their growth and 
furnish walnuts for the table. 

At Knight's Ferry, Stanislaus County, is a seedling walnut tree of 
enormous size, the property of Asa Collins, planted by W. E. Stewart in 
1858. The seed was brought from France by a French sailor. Out of 
the three walnuts he brought only one grew, which is the parent tree of 
many plantings. 

§"In 1873, Mr. Finch, of Alameda, ordered from Messrs. Rose & Grant, of Topeka, 
Kansas, fifty trees of a so-called ' Persian' walnut, introduced by them from Persia, one 
year old, which sold for $10 each. The order could not be filled, so he only obtained 
thirty-six, of which Mr. Latham bought ten, Mr. Selby two, J. D. Roberts four, and Win. 
Meek twelve. The sale of the balance was withheld." 

IT "Mr. D. C. Vestal has a walnut tree at San Jose\ about sixty feet high, bearing 
medium thin-shelled nuts. The nuts from which this tree was produced came from 
Chile, and were planted about thirty years ago by Mr. Vestal, where the tree now stands. 
He has gathered from it yearly about a barrel of nuts." 

In 1883, Mr. Kelsey, of Fresno, reported to the State Horticultural 
Society that he had at Fresno two trees of the so-called "English" 
walnut, that were then about six feet in circumference and about fifty 
feet high. 

I "At Mud Springs, El Dorado County, are to be seen several large ' English' walnut 
trees." 

In Winters, Solano County, at the John Wolfskill place on Putah 
Creek, are many large trees that yearly produce medium-size nuts of 

* J. W. Wolfskill, letter of March 13, 1896. 

t Trees of this so-called " English " walnut come into bearing at the eighth year 
from the planting of the seed ; therefore, the orchard must have been set out about in 
1841. 

X H. D. Barrows, letter of March 14, 1896. 

§ Pacific Rural Press, 1873, p. 193. 

If Proceedings State Horticultural Society, April 27, 1883. 

1 Pacific Rural Press, 1871, p. 460. 



8 THE WALNUT — LONGEVITY. 

fair quality; these, however, were grafted on the black walnut, and are 
about thirty years old. 

* " My father, P. E. Kellogg, settled in Napa Valley about midway between the present 
towns of St. Helena and Calistoga, in 1846. In 1848 he planted some walnuts in his 
nursery. When the trees were two years old (in 1850) he planted them about his door- 
yard (ten or twelve in number), where some of them remained for more than forty 
years. From time to time, father added to the number of his walnut trees, but never 
planted a very large orchard of them. Some of the trees in my orchard here in Santa 
Barbara County are from nuts taken from the old trees in Napa Valley." 

The largest walnut orchard of early planting in the northern part of 
the State is located near Los Gatos, in Santa Clara County; it is about 
thirty years old, and produces fair crops yearly. The largest orchards 
of recent planting are in Lake and Sonoma counties. In San Lorenzo, 
on the Win. Meek estate, is an extensive walnut orchard of early plant- 
ing. In Sonoma, at the Vallejo place, and at Mission San Jose, are 
many walnut trees that show great age and are healthy in appearance. 
General Bidwell, at Chico, has a considerable number of walnut trees, 
all vigorous and fruitful. Many such trees are to be found in Napa, 
San Jose, Santa Clara, Merced, Modesto, Fresno, and Visalia. Along the 
coast, in almost every county, are to be seen large walnut trees of early 
planting. While these early plantings were small, and many consisted 
* of isolated trees, as were those in the Mission gardens, yet those trees 
mark a special epoch in the horticultural history of our State, as they 
have proved the great longevity of the walnut, and enlightened the 
growers as to their culture and future possibilities. 

(3) LONGEVITY OF THE WALNUT. 

The great and prodigious age attained by the walnut can only be con- 
ceived from records of its early history. All the early botanical writers — 
English, French, Italian — point out the fact that the walnut, in their 
respective provinces, does not bear until it has reached the age of fifteen 
to twenty-four years, and hardly becomes a paying investment until it 
attains a prodigious age. In California, the walnut begins to bear at 
the eighth year from the seed, and from that time on the crop increases, 
and the orchards become remunerative. It is now not uncommon to see 
walnut orchards from thirty to forty years old, in the prime of health, 
producing every year bountiful crops. 

+ " In Persia, the tree comes into bearing at eight years from the planting of, the seed ; 
in Italy, Spain, and the Island of Madeira, in about sixteen years; in France— the 
southern part— in eighteen years; in England, in twenty-four years, and in California 
in eight years, the same as in Persia. So, 1 take it, the* southern part of this State is 
nearest its home." 

'X "After fifteen or twenty years from the time of planting, the walnut gives only 
hopes, so to speak, for its yield is yet so small that its value can hardly be reckoned ; it 
is only from thirty to sixty years' that this tree can offer each year a product sufficient 
to increase the income of the landlord. It takes a century, and over, before the wood is 
good to be used in the arts." 

§ "Walnut trees are spoken of that bear, in good years, 50,000 to 100,000 nuts; such 
trees are truly very rare, and their trunks are not less than 15 to 20 feet in circumference." 

* Frank E. Kellogg, of Goleta, letter of March 12, 1896. 

t Hon. Russell Heath, in essay before Eleventh State Fruit-Growers' Convention, 1889. 
% Maison Rustique, Vol. 2, Chapter XLl, 
§ Maison Rustique, Vol. 2, p. 143. 



THE WALNUT (Juglans Recjia). 



PLATE II. 




Walnut Branch. 

Shoving development of male flowers, or staminate catkins, with the first period of growth two 

weeks before the appearance of the female flowers or pistillates. 



THE WALNUT {Juglans Regia) 



PLATE III, 




Walnut Branch. 
J^? W \ n ? b0 . t i 1 stami »ate or male catkins and pistillates or female flowers in full bloom havin? 
^flfnf d th2 S , ether ' 0r n t ea - rly so - The male organs or catkins emanate from the budSs in thl 
of^e^e^V^^rt^e^b^oS^ 118 S ™ r > - d the '«»ale flowers at the^S'rilnffi 



THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia). 



PLATE IV. 




Walnut Branch. 
Showing male flowers or staminate catkins after blooming, and the female flowers or pistillates 
(and embryo nuts) above, just in bloom, having made their appearance two weeks later, and ready 
for fertilization. 



THE WALNUT — POLLINATION. 9 

*"In the village of Beachemwell, in Norfolk, may be seen a walnut tree (Juglans 
regia) which spreads its 'softly swelling hills' of leaves over the church-yard of All 
Saints Church, now in ruin, as ff it sought to mingle leafy dust and human ashes. When 
this tree is arrayed in all its honors ' fresh and green ' it is an object interesting by its 
symmetry and gigantic proportions. The crumbling walls of the ruin, throwing their 
shadow far away and standing out in gray relief from the green turf, beneath which 
the good forefathers of the village sleep in peace, offer a striking contrast to the huge 
mass of walnut foliage, presenting a specimen of its kind seldom equaled. This tree 
has produced in one season 54,000 nuts, and its dimensions are as follows: Circumference 
of the body of the tree near the ground, 32 feet ; height of trunk, 10 feet ; the circumfer- 
ence of the five large branches is 16 feet, 14 feet, 9 feet, 8 feet, 8 feet; the circumference 
of the extreme spread of the tree is 120 yards, and its estimated height is 90 feet." 

t"On the road from Martel to Gramat (Lot) is to be seen a colossal walnut tree at 
least three hundred years old. The height of this tree is about 55 feet; its branches 
extend to a distance of 125 feet ; the trunk, 14 feet in diameter, is only 20 feet high, but it 
sends out seven immense branches. It bears on an average each year 15 bags of 
walnuts." 

X "An Italian architect mentions having seen at St. Nicholas, in Lorraine, a single 
plank of the wood of the walnut, 25 feet wide, upon which the Emperor Frederick III 
had given a sumptuous banquet. In the Baidar Valley, near Balaklava, in the Crimea, 
stands a walnut tree at least 1,000 years old. It yields annually from 80,000 to 100,000 
nuts, and belongs to five Tartar families, who share its product equally." 



(4) POLLINATION. 

Until recent years no attempt was made to improve the varieties of 
the walnut in cultivation by cross-pollination, but the universal prac- 
tice has been to plant the nuts selected from fruitful and rapidly grow- 
ing trees, and the seedlings grown therefrom, on not becoming regular 
bearers, were dug up, as were also all trees producing inferior nuts. 
Trees producing nuts deficient in kernels were not uncommon, but were 
frequently reported, and many such trees still exist. From past 
experience it is readily to be seen how important it is for the grower to 
study and know the varieties, so as to plant and locate them in the 
orchard so that they may assist in the pollination of one another. 
In fact, the study of pollination becomes essential as the first step to 
successful fruit culture. 

In all catkin-bearing trees — as the walnut — or of monoecious flowers, 
the flowers necessarily differ and have their sexes separated, but are 
borne by the same tree. The incoherent pollen is produced by the male 
flowers (pendulous green cylindrical catkins), which is distributed 
and comes in contact with the female flowers by the aid of insects, 
the air and wind, by fall of gravity, or by friction, thus insuring a 
crop. The male flowers, or staminate catkins, are the first to appear, 
and come out generally together with the first growth of the tree, 
although in many instances they appear before the trees put forth, but 
about the time they begin to show signs of growth. The female blos- 
soms, or pistillates, appear much later, from one to three weeks inter- 
vening. In some of the European varieties the difference is very slight, 
the pistillates appearing about 'the time the staminates are in full 
bloom. Instances of this nature with the " English " walnut are very 
rare. 

The male flowers, or staminate catkins, after blooming lose hold and 
drop, and, coming in contact with the limbs, thus distribute their pollen 
amongst the foliage of the trees. The pollen is also distributed and 

* Gardener's Chronicle, London, 1857, p. 694. 
t Gardener's Chronicle, London, 1852, p. 568. 
X Gardener's Chronicle, London, Vol. VII, 1877, p. 310. 



10 THE WALNUT POLLINATION. 

adheres to the limbs and leaves during the blooming period of the male 
catkins. . The fertilizing power of the pollen is not lost, but is preserved 
for an indefinite period, and a mere speck falling on the stigma of the 
female blossom is ample to render it fertile. 

In many instances it has been observed that some trees will produce 
at times an abundance of flowers of one sex, and few or none of the 
other sex. Trees — as the walnut — that mature their pollen before the 
female flowers on the same tree are ready for fertilization, are called by 
botanists jiroterandrous; while others, called proterogynous, have their 
stigmas mature before the pollen is ready. The purpose of this curious 
functional difference obviously is in favor of cross-fertilization, by pollen, 
of flowers borne by other trees of the same species. 

According to the Gardener's Chronicle, in 1888, reports became cur- 
rent of trees in portions of the walnut sections of France bearing a full 
crop, but the nuts failed to harden, the husks when about half 
grown withering up, and few good nuts were found. The kernels which 
were formed were soft and insipid. Reports made throughout were that 
"while there were plenty of nuts there was nothing in them," and after 
assigning different reasons for this failure, conclude "probably from 
imperfect fertilization of the flowers." Many other similar instances 
are reported as occurring in different groves. 

* " It is a common occurrence for the walmit to be deficient in producing either the 
male or female blossoms, which it bears, both of which are essential to its producing 
and ripening nuts. I have a tree, now about twenty years old, which began a few years 
ago to show blossoms, but those merely female, without one male catkin appearing on 
the tree, and the consequence has been that after the flowers faded the fruit regularly 
dropped off. This season, there being a considerable show of female blossoms but no 
male ones, I thought of trying the plan followed by gardeners in the case of melons and 
other fruits where fertilization is not freely effected by nature, and having seen abun- 
dance of male catkins on a tree at a friend's, I asked him to send me some, and he accord- 
ingly sent me a small paper-bag full, which I dusted and threw over such of the female 
blossoms as were within my reach. The consequence has been that I now have about a 
dozen fine nuts, swelling out regularly, with every appearance of coming in due time 
into maturity. All the embryo fruit not fertilized have fallen off as usual. I am 
pleased with the success of my experiment, and mean, should my tree still prove 
deficient in male blossoms, with the assistance of my friend's, to supply its wants, and, 
by taking a little more trouble, 1 have no doubt 1 shall be able to render every female 
blossom fruitful." 

As showing this curious functional difference in our own State, a few 
facts are cited. A nurseryman at Ventura observed a large seedling 
walnut tree, which, from its luxuriant growth and symmetrical form, he 
believed w T ould be a variety worthy of cultivation. Accordingly, in the 
spring of 1886, he planted forty pounds of nuts gathered from that tree. 
When the seedlings bore, none of them produced nuts of any commercial 
value. This, of course, proved to be a sad disappointment to him, and, 
after waiting ten years for a crop, he dug up most of them. Some of the 
trees had become of large dimensions and had long, spreading branches, 
and were always quite full of nuts, but without kernels — all hull and 
shell. This functional difference was investigated; the trees were found 
to produce an abundance of flowers of the same sex, but few or none of 
the other, through which imperfect fertilization of the flowers the kernels 
in the nuts did not form — they were wanting. It is also interesting to note 
that no attempt was made to correct this curious phenomenon by artificial 
cross-pollination, by distributing pollen from staminatc catkins, or male 
flowers, of other trees, before digging up the trees. 

♦Gardener's Chronicle, London, 1847, p. 541. 



THE WALNUT— POLLINATION. 11 

Through the continuous planting of the seed (as mentioned else- 
where), without regard to the laws of nature, has come about the 
degeneration of the species in many sections. Trees are frequently 
reported as having "never borne nuts"; others "bloom profusely, but 
are blooms of only one sex; the nuts have never set, and have become a 
barren waste." This is a summary of the reports that have been con- 
tinuously received for years past. In recent years more attention has 
been paid to the morphology of the walnut, and it is now better under- 
stood. 

*"I have a few trees of the ordinary 'English' walnut. In 1878 the staminate 
blossoms came out in the latter part of March ; they dropped off and perished on the 
ground. About the 15th of April the pistillates made tbeif appearance. The result was 
the nuts dropped off. The next year the staminates made their appearance the 1st of 
April ; they dropped off by the 10th, and between the 12th and the 15th the pistillates 
made their first appearance. The result was I had no walnuts. The next year, 18S0, I 
found that the blossoming period came closer together, within a few days. About the 
1st of April the staminate blossoms dropped off, and in a few days the pistillates began 
to make their appearance. I looked over the trees and found a few stunted staminate 
blossoms. I gathered them very carefully, and shook them over the trees. The result 
was that every tree over which I distributed the pollen was laden with walnuts." 

Incidentally, I may mention that almond-growers were in a worse pre- 
dicament, and in many sections the culture of the almond was abandoned. 
The Languedoc, a variety first introduced, was found to produce an 
extraordinarily large number of flowers of one sex, and few of the 
other. The morphology of the almond was studied, with wonderful 
results, and many of these same localities are again planted to the 
almond, and are among the leading almond-growing sections of the 
State. It was also found that by planting different varieties in an 
orchard alternately, the pollen would intermix and aid in the setting of 
the fruit. This, however, was done in many cases without studying 
their blooming period, and consequently failure resulted. For instance, 
seedling trees of the bitter almond were planted in the orchard, as they 
were profuse bloomers, but the time of blooming was not considered. 
Seedling trees of the bitter almond are among the first to bloom, and 
put forth two weeks or more ahead of the standard varieties, so that 
when the latter came into bloom the pollen of the bitter almond had 
either been washed off by the early rains, or lost through other unfavor- 
able conditions, preventing its action on the other flowers. In order to 
accomplish the results aimed at, the varieties so intermixed must bloom 
together, or nearly so. I know of no instance where this has been tried 
on the walnut, but it is certainly worthy of trial, as it may tend to cor- 
rect this curious phenomenon, prevalent among some of our walnut 
orchards complained of, consisting of trees grown from seed. Of course, 
with the almond the experiment was much easier, because, after testing 
a certain variety, and its merits becoming fully known, they were repro- 
duced by budding. The long period required by the walnut to come 
into bearing was a bar to any experiments in this line, and it was grown 
from the seed almost altogether. But this is no longer so. Fruit cul- 
ture has reached the height of perfection, and is now being conducted 
on broad lines and scientific principles. Inferior seedlings are giving 
way to grafted and budded trees of the choicest kinds, or to seedlings of 
choice selection; their habits are studied, and the novice or the grower 
does not have to wait and undergo years of toil and anxiety to acquire 

*W. H. Jessup, of Haywards, in essay read before State Horticultural Society, April 
27, 1883. 



12 THE WALNUT — IMPROVED HOME VARIETIES. 

results, but can profit by the experience of others who have made fruit 
culture the study of their lives, and who show their liberality and 
warmheartedness by sharing this knowledge with their neighbors. 



(5) ORIGIN OF IMPROVED HOME VARIETIES. 

While large walnut orchards were set out, and many new plantings 
made every season, consisting mainly of seedling trees produced from 
seed from the old historic trees of early introduction, no attempt was 
ever made to produce improved varieties by cross-pollination, and none 
are yet recorded. Only recently have improved varieties become known, 
and these originated from chance seedlings. In 1867, Mr. Joseph 
Sexton, of Goleta, Santa Barbara County, purchased in San Francisco 
a sack of walnuts supposed to have come from South America, labeled 
" English walnuts," from which he raised about 1,000 trees, and the 
spring following (1868) planted 200 of these trees in orchard form at 
Goleta. Sixty proved to be of a soft-shell variety. Later, he planted 24 
trees raised from soft-shell nuts from his original trees; of this number 
21 came true (the same) to the parent.tree, and 3 made a much stronger 
growth, commenced fruiting in the sixth year, and produced a soft-shell 
nut* and an improvement over the original trees. The first he named 
" Santa Barbara Soft-Shell," and the latter " Improved Soft-Shell," by 
which names they are now known. In 1859, Hon. Russell Heath, of 
Carpinteria, furnished Mr. Stowe, at Santa Barbara, with a large 
quantity of walnuts from his orchard of so-called " English" walnuts, 
for planting. Among the trees that Mr. Stowe raised from that seed, 
one produced soft-shell nuts. It is Mr. Heath's firm belief that this nut 
must have come from a chance seedling produced by him from seed 
which he procured from the orchard of the late Wm. Wolfskill, at Los 
Angeles, from whom he obtained his first seed. There is no instance 
on record where any soft-shell walnuts had been produced prior to that 
time. 

Mr. George W. Ford, of Santa Ana, originated soft-shell walnuts, 
which he christened " Ford's Eureka" and " Ford's Improved Soft-Shell." 
They were produced from seed grown by Mr. Sexton, of Goleta. Mr. 
Felix Gillet has originated the " California Paper-Shell," the " Colum- 
bus," the " Cluster Prceparturiens," and the " Mayette-Shaped Prcepar- 
turiens." Many other varieties have been catalogued, mostly because 
they were " new," but were never passed upon by any competent 
authority, or their merits determined. Most of these trees, on coming 
into bearing, produced a nut similar to that of the tree from which they 
originated as chance seedlings. These various types, not being dis- 
tinctive enough to be classified by themselves, are all labeled " English 
walnuts." 



THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia). 



PLATE V. 




Walnut Branch. 
Showing the mature nuts through the cracking of the husks, ready for harvesting. 



THE WALNUT (Jugtans Regia). 



PLATE VI. 




Fig. 1. —Branch of walnut showing character of growth and an extraordinarily large 
amount of male, or staminate, catkins; reduced. 




Fig. 2.—" Root knot" on voung walnut. 



THE WALNUT — VARIETIES. 13 

(6) VARIETIES OF THE WALNUT {Juglans regia, Linn.). 

ENGLISH.* 
(Plate X, Fig. 2.) 
Synonyms: Madeira, Naples, Los Angeles, Common, Chile, Mission, etc. 

This walnut was the first introduced into our State; from it innumerable 
varieties have sprung, and of which the principal orchards of the State 
consist. The name is applied to any variety of the so-called " English" 
walnut. It would be difficult to determine the particular variety to 
which this name belongs; however, it is a name applied by common 
consent to any and all varieties that have originated from the so-called 
" English " walnut, and really is more of a commercial name through 
which the product is marketed. 

The principal orchards of the State consist of trees grown from seed 
of the so-called " English " walnut, and while the walnut comes truer to 
seed than most fruits, it could not be claimed that all the orchards of the 
State are of this particular variety, simply because the trees were raised 
from seed of the original stock. In almost every orchard of the State 
of early planting are trees bearing nuts wholly unlike the nuts pro*- 
duced by the parent trees, and they can only be classified as types of 
the original nut, showing the great variation produced from planting the 
seed. Many of these orchards, however, consist of types of.rare quality, 
such as the orchards in the Los Nietos Valley, Santa Ana Valley, San 
Gabriel Valley, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, etc. While most of the 
types that originated from the seed grown on trees of early planting 
produced a hard-shell nut, there were many that produced a thin or 
soft-shell nut. The best and most productive orchards to-day consist of 
trees grown from seed of the original trees. 

To describe the so-called " English " variety would be as difficult as 
to describe the seedling orange and its many types. Oranges cultivated 
from seed are known as " seedlings," but as the seed from these seedlings 
has been planted continuously, and though the trees so produced bear 
fruit so distinct and so variable, they are only seedlings from seedlings, 
and are accepted under that name without regard to variety. 

Among those trees of early history were many that produced large, 
clear, hard-shell nuts, which were greatly sought in the market. The 
nuts of this type were in great demand for planting, although by con- 
tinuous propagation from the seed for nearly a half century, without 
regard to the degeneration of the species, many of these types have 
been allowed to degenerate until thejr cultivation •has been almost 
abandoned. 

While seedling trees and small orchards of this so-called " English " 
walnut, or " Los Angeles nut," are met with in almost every county of 
the State, the successful culture of this nut and its many varieties has 
been confined to the lower counties — from Santa Barbara t6 San Diego. 
Trees grown from seed of this nut — "English" — in many sections have 
proved too tender to withstand the cold of winter and the heat of summer. 

* For want of a better name, and to indicate the locality from whence it came (as it is 
supposed by all the earliest British botanical writers to have first been introduced into 
England by the Romans), it was called commercially the "English walnut." 



14 tin: WALNUT — VARIETIES. 

They generally get cut back by frostsf in the spring, asthey put forth 
too early to escape them. The trees keep growing quite late in the 
season, and the tender shoots and undeveloped growth suffer from the 
extreme heat, and are nipped by the frost in the fall. 

Of late years several late-blooming varieties produced by chance have 
come into prominence, having most of the essential qualities required, 
and which are proving successful everywhere, and will hereafter, no 
doubt, supplant all others of this species. 

While the walnut has reproduced itself, that is, " come the same," from 
seed, it has a tendency to revert to the wild state, as is the case with all 
trees when continuously propagated from seed. A variety can only be 
reproduced and remain constant by budding and grafting. In this State 
many such instances have been cited and recorded. 

EUROPEAN VARIETIES. 

The varieties described in this chapter have proved most promising 
of the numerous kinds introduced into our State in recent years. The 
descriptions given are by leading growers, whose opinions are worthy 
of fullest consideration: 

Persian. — Generic commercial name, applied by common consent to 
all varieties of the Juglans regia. 

* Chaberte. — (Plate XI, Fig. 9). — An old and most valuable variety; 
late in budding out. The nut is well shaped, roundish-oval, and of fair 
size; the kernel is of extra fine quality; good bearer. The Chaberte orig- 
inated in France over a century ago, by a man named Chaberte, hence 
its name. 

"The Chaberte is a good and thrifty variety." — West. 
" The tree is very productive, developing its leaves and bloom late in 
the spring." — Rock. 

* Franquette (Plate X, Fig. 5). — Blooms late in spring. Originated 
about the same time as the Mayette, in the southeast of France, by a man 
named Franquet. It is quite large, of an elongated oval, and very 
attractive; kernel full-fleshed and sweet, and of rich, nutty flavor. It also 
buds out late in the spring, being as hardy as Parisienne and Mayette. 
Very desirable as a market nut. 

" Nuts very large and long; one of the finest for dessert." — Rock. 

* Mayette (Plate X, Fig. 3). — This is one of the finest dessert and 
market nuts grown; it is quite large and uniformly so, well shaped, with 
a light-colored shell; the kernel is full-fleshed, sweet, and nutty. But 
what renders this valuable kind more valuable yet, is that it is very 
hardy, being late in budding out, which enables it to escape uninjured 
the disastrous effects of late fronts in the spring; it is also an abundant 
bearer. This is the nut imported into the United States under the name 
of Grenoble, but on account of duties to pay, and the nut being high- 

* Described by Mr. Felix Gillet. 

+ On March 2, 1S96, the northern and central portions of the State were visited by a 
severe frost and snowstorm. On the morning of the 3d I examined the growth of the 
English walnut in several orchards, which had already grown about 4 to 6 indies, and 
found much damage done to botli the growth and the male catkins. The European 
varieties did not show any signs of starting. On March 15th the pistillates of the 
'English " walnut made their first appearance, but all the male (lowers, or staminate 
catkins, had dropped off. On .March 22d the European varieties began to put forth. 
As a consequence there was no crop of "English" walnuts, but the European varieties 
set well. 



THE WALNUT VARIETIES. 1& 

priced in its home in France, a common and cheaper grade is often 
mixed with it, to the disgust of nut importers in New York and Chicago. 
The Mayette was originated by a man of the name of Mayet, one hun- 
dred and thirty years ago, having ever since been a great favorite as a 
market nut. 

" My trees did not produce until the sixth year. They are a large, 
excellent nut." — West. 

"One of the finest dessert nuts grown; large, full-fleshed, and sweet. 
Very late in budding, thereby escaping injury from late frosts."— Rock. 

*Mesanqe.— This nut has a very thin shell, and derives its name of 
Mesange from a little lark of that name that goes to the kernel through 
the tender and thin shell; very productive. This may be regarded as a 
first-class family nut, but I would not recommend it as a market nut, 
on account of its rather small size and thinness of shell. 

* Vourey. — This new and valuable variety of recent introduction origi- 
nated near Vourey, France, hence its name. The nut has the shape of 
the Mayette, but is more round and smaller; the shell is thin, light 
colored, and smooth, and the kernel exceedingly sweet and nutty; very 
hardy. 

" The nuts are very large and the shell well filled with a sweet, rich 
kernel. The leaves and flowers are produced late." — Rock. 

Grenoble (Plate XI, Fig. 5). 

*Meylan. — A new and very attractive variety, originated near the 
little village of Meylan, in the walnut district of France. The nut is of 
fair size; the smoothest one of our collection, very thin shell, and of 
excellent quality; buds out late. 

*Serotina (St. John) (Plate XI, Fig. 3). — I find this variety not 
to be so late in budding out as to not be sometimes injured by late frosts 
in the spring. The nut is of medium size, well shaped, with a very 
sweet, nutty meat; enormously productive. 

"This variety came into bearing the fifth year from planting. It is 
of less value than others grown by me. Its flavor is not quite so deli- 
cate, and the shell a trifle harder, but as it is a week later in showing 
leaf in the spring, it will suit frosty localities." — West. 

" Leaves and flowers of this variety are not developed until all danger 
of frost has passed; very productive." — Rock. 

Mobart (Plate XI, Fig. 2). 

* Vilmorin, or Cross-Bred. — This curious variety was obtained by 
" hybridizing " years ago, in France. It is a cross between the English 
walnut and the Eastern Black walnut, and was called Vilmorin after 
the leading member of the well-known seed firm of Vilmorin, Andrieux 
& Co., of Paris. The nut is small, and has the shape of the English 
walnut, but the furrows of the Black walnut; it is darker than the Eng- 
lish and lighter than the Black. It can hardly be called an improve- 
ment on the Black walnut; surely it is not on the English. It is a 
very odd sort, having no commercial value whatever. We have fruited 
this cross-bred walnut for the last seven years, and find that either as 
a family or market nut this cross-bred variety is entirely worthless. It 
must be regarded and propagated, therefore, simply as an ornamental 
variety. 

* Weeping Walnut. — A new and very curious kind of walnut, highly 
ornamental, the branches drooping down like those of the weeping-wil- 

* Described by Mr. Felix Gillet. 



16 THE WALNUT — VARIETIES. 

low. We have had limbs on some of our weeping walnuts growing to 
eight feet through the summer, drooping straight down, with the ends 
dragging on the ground, and even trailing on it to a length of twelve to 
twenty inches. The nut is of fair size, oblong, thin-shelled, and of good 
quality. It looks to be a very abundant bearer. 

Rivera Hard-Shell (Plate XI, Fig. 7). 

Rivera Soft-Shell (Plate X, Fig. 8). 

*Laciniated, or Ash-Leaved. — The foliage of this kind of walnut is so 
delicate, so finely cut up, that it makes of it a most graceful ornamental 
tree, worthy to be planted conspicuously in the garden or front yard. 
The nut, besides, is exceedingly pretty, of fair size, round, with a very 
smooth shell and sweet kernel. The tree is claimed to be an abundant 
bearer. 

*Parisienne. — Large, excellent, starts late in spring. This beautiful 
nut, also one of the finest for dessert and market, was originated in the 
southeast of France, and not in the neighborhood of Paris, as its name 
would imply ; its beauty made it called Parisienne, in honor of the 
capital of France. The nut is large, broader at the small end than the 
Mayette and Franquette, and has a very pretty shape. It is as late as 
the Mayette, and as desirable for market. 

" A most beautiful nut; one of the largest and best for dessert, broad 
arid large, with full-fleshed kernel. Bears early and regular." — Rock. 

* Alpine, or Wonder of the Alps. — A new and very rare variety orig- 
inated not long ago in the Alps Mountains, in France. Next to the 
Mammoth it is the largest walnut grown on my place. Though the 
shell looks a kind of rough, it is perfectly soft and thin, and the meat 
sweet and filling well the shell. 

*Lanfray. — A newly originated variety. Very pretty nut, oval in 
shape, of fair size and first quality. 

*Poorman. — A new kind, of recent introduction. 

Fertile (Plate XI, Fig. 1). 

* Prceparturiens or Fertile, First Generation. — This variety was intro- 
duced into the State by me, in the winter of 1870-71, and in my grounds, 
2,600 feet up in the Sierra, are the first trees of that kind that ever pro- 
duced fruit in this State. Described as follows: The Prceparturiens was 
originated in France, in 1828; from the fact that it first bore nuts while 
being but two years old, the Latin name of Prceparturiens was given to 
it from Parturiens, bearing, Pros, before — bearing before the usual time. 
It was also called Fertile, on account of its surprising fertility. The nut 
is small, though thin-shelled, and very sweet ; it is this nut that pro- 
duces " Second Generation " trees. 

* Prceparturiens or Fertile, Second Generation. — The Second Generation 
Prceparturiens, the kind we recommend to plant, has retained all the 
characteristics of the original, only the nuts are much larger, and larger, 
too, than those of the third and fourth generations, seventy-five per cent 
of the trees bearing nuts from medium to large, and twenty-five per cent 
from small to medium, and of all sorts of shapes — all, however, being 
thin-shelled and of first quality. The Prceparturiens is one of the most 
productive kinds, and bears heavy crops from the start, and it may be 
regarded as the best variety of walnut to plant for family use ; the 
largest Prceparturiens nuts, though, being well marketable. 

♦Described by Mr. Felix Gillet. 



THE WALNUT — VARIETIES. 17 

* Third Generation Prceparturiens. — The kind mostly sold in California 
under the generic name of Prceparturiens, and grown from nuts borne 
on Second Generation trees. The nut is generally small — too small for 
market, but of first quality. 

* Mammoth Prceparturiens. — A large-fruited variety of Prceparturiens, 
originated in France. The nut is extraordinarily large; soft shell, and 
with a full-fleshed kernel. 

Prceparturiens (Plate XI, Fig. 8). — "This variety has proved exceed- 
ingly satisfactory. It will bear in nursery rows when not more than 
four feet high, and continue to have a crop every year, and has never 
been injured by spring frosts. On my place are seedlings of the second 
and third generations, which still convey their fertile and early-bearing 
qualities. The nuts on mature trees are of good size and of the best 
quality." — West. 

Gant (Syn. Bijou) (Plate XI, Fig. 4).— "Nuts very large, twice 
or three times larger than the common walnut, and sometimes square or 
oblong in shape." — Rock. 

"The Bijou is the largest walnut known. This variety began to bear 
when it had been planted four years, and has constantly increased its 
yield. In 1890 it bore a large crop, and in 1891 it set its fruit so quickly 
that I thought best to remove at least one third of it. The reputation 
of this tree in its home — France — is that of a shy bearer. The quality 
is excellent, superior to anything I have seen." — West. 

* Mammoth, or Jauge. — This is an immense nut, the largest yet origi- 
nated. So large is the shell of some of them that " ladies' companions " 
are made out of the shells by fancy-goods manufacturers wherein to 
stow away gloves and handkerchiefs. The nut, though of such large 
dimensions, has a thin shell, and the kernel is of first quality. 

* Cluster (Juglans Racemosa) (Plate X, Fig. 7). — This remarkable 
kind of walnut, introduced some twenty years ago into this country, is 
a worthy rival of the Prceparturiens for productiveness, but superior for 
the beauty of the nuts. It derives its name of Juglans racemosa from 
the Latin word racemosus, meaning abundant in clusters, full of clusters, 
which is the main characteristic of that most beautiful variety. The 
nuts, when the tree is in full bearing, grow in long clusters of 10, 15, 
and even 25 to 28 nuts. The Cluster, like the Prceparturiens, repro- 
duces itself well enough from the seed, provided that the nuts be gathered 
from trees grafted from the original. The nut is thin-shelled, of fair size, 
hermetically closed, with a smooth, white shell; in fact, a perfect beauty. 

*Barthere. — "A singularly shaped nut, elongated, broad at the center, 
and tapering at both ends; the shell is harder than that of other sorts." 

Kaghazi. — Of doubtful origin; grown about Niles, in Alameda County. 

Grand Noblesse. — Described, in " Nut Culture in the United States," as 
having originated by L. L. Bequette, of Los Nietos, but is very little 
known by the growers of that section. 

VARIETIES OF HOME ORIGIN. 

The chapter on pollination of the walnut illustrates how varieties 
originate by accident, or from chance seedlings. The following varieties 
originated in that way; they have been fully tried and their merits have 
become known, and are therefore entitled to be placed among the list of 
varieties worthy of cultivation: 

* Described by Mr. Felix Gillet. 

2— W 



18 THE WALNUT — VARIETIES. 

•California Paper-Shell (Plate X, Fig. 1).— Originated by Mr. 
Felix Gillet. A nut borne on a grafted Chaberte, the tree being, there- 
fore, a Second Generation Chaberte. The nut is only of medium size; 
shell very thin and almost white; kernel full-fleshed, exceedingly sweet 
and nutty. 

* Columbus. — Originated by Mr. Gillet. Produced from a Second 
Generation Mayette. The nut is very large, exceedingly pretty, round- 
ish, with smooth, light-colored shell, and kernel of first quality. Named 
Columbus in honor of the World's Fair in 1893, the year that my second 
trees of that kind went into bearing. 

*Mayette-Shaped Prceparturiens. — Originated by Mr. Gillet, some 
twenty-five years ago. A large nut, sitting on its end like the Mayette, 
hence its name. Full-fleshed kernel of first quality; heavy bearer. 
Solely propagated by grafting. 

* Cluster Prceparturiens. — A variety of Prceparturiens said to be very 
fine, also originated by Mr. Gillet. Nut large, oblong, smooth surface, 
perfect soft-shell; kernel fine and sweet. Growing in clusters. 

Soft-Shell. — Originated from seed, by Mr. Joseph Sexton, of Goleta, 
Santa Barbara Count} 7 , in 1868. The seed he procured in San Francisco, 
which was labeled " English," and was supposed to have been imported 
from Central America. Mr. Sexton describes this variety thus: "Nut 
looks very much like the imported Chile walnut, having the shape and 
color. The objection to this variety is that as the trees grow older the 
nuts grow smaller — diminish in size — and are not as salable as larger 
nuts." 

Improved Soft-Shell (Santa Barbara Soft-Shell) (Plate X, Fig. 10). — 
Originated by Mr. Joseph Sexton, of Goleta, Santa Barbara County, in 
1870, from seed of the " Soft-shell," crossed with the hard-shell or 
"English" walnut. The nut in outer appearance resembles the 
" English " or hard-shell, but the shell is as thin as the " Soft-shell," 
and the kernel or " meat " is a beautiful white color. Tree productive, 
uniform, and symmetrical in growth. 

Ford's Improved Soft-Shell (Plate X, Fig. 6).— Originated in 1877 
by Mr. George W. Ford, of Santa Ana, from seed he obtained in San 
Francisco, and supposed to have come from Mr. Joseph Sexton, of Santa 
Barbara. Out of the twenty-five pounds of walnuts he obtained, one 
hundred of the largest and finest nuts were picked out, and from these 
twenty large nuts selected. These were planted, and from which origi- 
nated this " new " improved nut. The nut resembles the " Soft-shell." 
It is a large, clear nut, separates easily; the meat is very white, and the 
tree is a handsome grower. 

Ford's Eureka (Plate XI, Fig. 6).— Originated by Mr. George W. 
Ford, of Santa Ana, from soft-shell nuts procured from Mr. Joseph 
Sexton, of Goleta. The nut is almost round, meat white, and very fine. 
Tree vigorous, and a fine grower. 

ORIENTAL VARIETIES. 

Among the most beautiful trees are the Japanese walnuts. Two 
varieties are known in this State, One (J. Sieholdiana) being grown for 
more than twenty years. While it has been grown successfully, its 

♦Described by Mr. Felix Gillet 



THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 19 

economic importance has not as yet been determined. The nuts differ 
greatly from the varieties of /. regia, and present curious forms; they 
are, nevertheless, valuable, for the kernel is oily and sweet. The tree 
is very handsome, requires no pruning, is a strong grower, and very 
symmetrical in form, which, with its large, glossy leaves, of extraordi- 
nary size, render it most beautiful and especially suited for roadways 
and avenues. The tree is also valuable for stocks, as they " take " easily 
and are always healthy and of thrifty growth. 

Japanese (Juglans Sieboldiana, Maxivi) (Plate X, Fig. 4). — This 
variety has been cultivated very successfully in this State for more than 
twenty years. It is a beautiful ornamental tree, indigenous to Japan. 
The leaves are of enormous size. The nut is small and elongated, quite 
hard, but with a sweet kernel ; of very little commercial importance. 

Heart-Shaped (Juglans Cordiformis, Maxim). — This variety is also 
indigenous to Japan, and of recent introduction. The tree is similar in 
appearance to J. Sieboldiana. The nut is small and " heart-shaped," 
with a sweet kernel, said to be easily extracted by boiling for five minutes 
and then cracking. 

Chinese (Juglans Mandshurica, Maxim). — This nut is also of recent 
introduction, and is indigenous to eastern Asia. Resembles closely the 
Eastern butternut in habit of growth and foliage, and is said to resemble 
it in the form and appearance of the nut. 



(7) PLANTING, SOIL, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 

There is considerable difference of opinion among growers as to the 
proper age to plant walnut trees in orchard. Many contend that trees 
of three years' growth are best, while others contend that the seed should 
be planted where the tree is intended to grow, that it should never be 
transplanted, as in doing so certain roots, and especially the tap-root, 
have to be cut, which is detrimental to the growth and fruiting quali- 
ties of the tree. Others hold this practice to be a fallacy, and contend 
that the tree should be grown in the nursery until the sixth or eighth 
year, as is practiced in some countries. 

*" I commenced transplanting trees in my nursery at one year old ; each year I renewed 
my nursery rows, planting each year so as to enable me to have trees for my own land, 
which I was obliged to clear in order to prepare it for the orchard. I planted after 
the first year, and after the second year, and continued planting year by year, from these 
different nurseries of different ages. When 1 arrived at the ninth year of planting my 
trees had then been in bearing one year in the nursery. The trees that 1 planted out 
one year will bear fruit the seventh year. Eight years is as soon as I ever had them 
bear in my orchard from the seed. My experiments proved that the first or second 
year is an unnatural time to transplant the walnut. Why ? There are two periods 
that the walnut ought not to be transplanted, that is, the second and after the fifth year; 
the root starts the second year and makes a partial growth, and then it divides itself 
between top and root. The walnut will start and grow in root the first year without 
starting at the top, until it has made a certain period of growth, and then the root grows 
if not forced. I can force a walnut and make it grow ten feet the second year, but I say 
that is an unnatural growth and it ought not to be indulged in. The second year I say, 
then, is dangerous ; it is the period between the top and the root, and when you take it 
up you destroy that growth. The third year it makes top alone, comparatively no root ; 
it is then that your little tree, twelve inches high, grows up to the height of six to twelve 
feet. It is the top that it is making that year, and of course you do not desire to trans- 
plant a tree that is all to top and not to root, because when you take it from the nursery 
rows you must allow that tree to go down and make the root first, before it can make 
the top. After the third year you can transplant it with safety. Why ? It has made 

*Hon. Russell Heath, of Carpinteria. (Remarks apply to varieties of the "English" 
walnut, hard and medium shell nuts.) 



20 THE WALNUT — PLANUM.. BOIL, ETC. 

its top. The fourth year its tendency is to root and not to top, because the fourth year 
it makes its spurs two inches on the side of that growth of the third year. The tendency 
of that year is all root, and if you want to transplant a young tree, then take up your 
three-year-old tree and transplant it and you will get your fruit then as quickly as the 
age of the tree will allow it to bear. After the fifth year, their tendency is not to make 
root ; then is the time when those little branches two inches long send out the long arms 
to the distance of seven or eight feet; then it is that your tender shoots, especially in 
exposed conditions, are liable to be cut upon the end by the frost; then it is, if you are 
in the interior, that one hot blast will kill the ends of your trees, because it will have 
vigorous growth growing after the fifth year, and about t he sixth, and the only remedy 
is the knife, because then the tree is touched by either cold or heat. 

"Transplanting walnut trees, my experience is that I never had a nut from my trees 
that I transplanted from one vear old to seven, without waiting six years. The best 
success I have had, and which plan I have followed, has been when I have transplanted 
trees in orchard form after they had passed the age of bearing in my nursery rows. I 
transplanted eight hundred eleven-year-old trees and did not lose one in transplanting. 
It does not cost much to cultivate trees for such a period in the nursery— a thousand 
can be cultivated in a day— and if they were in orchard the expense would be very 
great; and while the cost of transplanting trees at this age is probably ten times more 
than for three-year-old trees, you save more than ten times that amount in the cost and 
care through those years while in orchard." 

* " I have raised trees from the seed and transplanted all the way from a year old up to 
six ; and while they have grown and done well, I prefer to move them at three years of 
age, or about that time. The best trees that I have were transplanted at three years old." 

t " I want one-year-old walnut trees one to three feet, two-year-olds four to six feet, 
and three-year-olds seven to nine feet, all of the above to be good stocky trees. The 
root of a three-year-old walnut is but a little longer than a one-year-old, though it is 
certainly larger. Of course, the root will grow in proportion to the top of the tree, for 
when a walnut commences to branch — which is about four years from the seed— then 
the* root will commence to throw out laterals." 

X "The usual custom is to set out two-year-old trees. In setting out young trees they 
should be inclined toward the coast or prevailing winds, and in trimming always try to 
keep them in that position. By using these precautions, and insisting on having the 
tap-root left at least three feet long when the trees are dug in the nursery, you will be 
likely to have your orchard in good shape when it is grown." 

§ "The best aged tree to plant is two years old ; not that I think the age makes any dif- 
ference, but the trees at that age are of a size that they can be seen, and run no risk of 
getting damaged while being cultivated. In careful hands, I believe one-year-old trees as 
good or better, and perhaps it would be better still to plant the seed where you want the 
orchard trees to grow, but if planted in this way great care must be taken for two years 
in cultivating, that they do not get trodden down and the tops broken off, which makes 
the orchard uneven and unsightly. When planting two-year-old or larger trees, they 
should be selected, planting the largest trees first, and keep on doing so until the orchard 
is finished. By so doing you can get trees of equal size together. Some say it will not 
do to plant the seed where you want the tree to grow, that it must be transplanted, and 
the tap-root cut to make it fruit. I have tested this claim and found it a fallacy, and find 
that nuts planted alongside of one-year-old trees have produced prolific crops, and are 
larger trees than those one year older." 

H " The plan of propagation is to plant the nut in nursery form in the spring of the 
year, in well-cultivated, sandy loam, about six inches deep. The first year they will grow 
from six inches to one foot high; the second, from one and a half to three feet; the 
third, from five to six feet. At this period it is considered the best for transplanting to 
permanent sites." 

The walnut does best on a moist, warm, sandy loam, well under- 
drained. It is a very vigorous grower, and requires ample root room, 
vertically and horizontally, and unless this is furnished the tree will 
not do well. Soil, therefore, which has a hardpan near the surface, 
heavy clays, or soils which hold too much moisture, are to be avoided. 
A fairly light, friable loam, of good depth and easily worked, offers per- 
fect conditions in the matter of soil for the walnut. 



*0. N. Cad well, of Carpinteria. (Also refers to varieties of the "English " walnut, or 
hard-shell nut.) 

t George W. Ford, of Santa Ana. (Remarks apply to improved varieties on the 
"English " walnut, or soft-shell nuts.) 

X A. Dorman, of Rivera, with reference to hard, medium, and soft-shell nuts. 

§ Joseph Sexton, of Goleta, with reference to improved varieties of the "English" wal- 
nut, or soft-shell nuts. 

t Hon. Ellwood Cooper, of Santa Barbara, with reference to varieties of the " English" 
walnut, or hard and medium-shell nuts. 



THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 21 

At a recent convention of walnut-growers, the consensus of opinion as 
to the best soil for the walnut was in favor of a rich, deep, sandy loam, 
affording good drainage, and from 16 to 18 feet to surface water. This, 
however, met with opposition from some growers, who claimed to have 
attained equally good results with walnuts growing in. soils principally 
adobe and with copious irrigation. It was also claimed that a rich 
alluvial soil, with a slight mixture of adobe, with water about from 15 
to 20 feet from the surface, was one of the best and strongest soils for the 
walnut. Mr. Ford, of Santa Ana, has some twenty-year-old walnut trees 
very thrifty and bearing heavy crops every year, in land where the 
surface water is only 3 feet below; but time can only determine how long 
they will thrive under such conditions. 

*"The walnut should be planted for profit and best results on deep, rich loam, with 
no hardpan, stiff clay, or impenetrable soil nearer than 12 feet. I would select locations 
naturally moist in preference to land requiring irrigation. A temperature of 60° to 80° 
in summer, I regard as more favorable than other localities, although they thrive and 
are profitable in much hotter places." 

t"In this part of the State (San Joaquin County), the walnut requires a deep, rich 
soil, one in which the roots will strike deep, so that there can be no pinch in the hot 
summer months." 

Mr. West has grown the "English" walnut and various French 
varieties for over twenty years. No irrigation is practiced by him, and 
unless the walnut finds the conditions mentioned, it is subject to a 
sudden check of the flow of sap during the summer, which has frequently 
occurred. The leaves fall and the nuts are left exposed to the hot rays 
of the sun, and invariably sunburn. 

X "In planting trees in orchard, first of all plow the ground deep and then go over it 
with a harrow or pulverizer. Fortv feet apart, giving twenty-seven trees to the acre, is 
the best distance to plant the Improved Soft-Shell walnut. Dig large and deep holes ; 
plant 2 or 3 inches deeper than the trees grew in the nursery ; lean them to the pre- 
vailing summer winds, and vou will not have to stake your trees to make them grow 
straight. Press the soil firmly around the roots, and if not very moist, give each tree 
about ten gallons of water, which is sufficient to settle the soil around the roots. Culti- 
vate your orchard to the depth of .5 or 6 inches. If your soil is moist enough to keep 
the trees in good growing condition during the summer months, irrigation is unneces- 
sary, but to make a first-class walnut, in size and fullness of kernel, if the ground is not 
naturally moist enough, irrigation will have to be adopted. Small grain snould not be 
planted in a walnut or any other orchard. If corn is grown, leave 8 feet on each side 
of your trees clear, though I am of the opinion that potatoes, peanuts, or beans are less 
injurious to the trees." 

§ "The usual custom has been, until the last few years, to set two-year-old trees 40 
feet apart each way, and plant corn among them as long as it would make a paying 
crop ; experience, however, has demonstrated the fact that it is better to set the trees 50 
feet apart each way and reduce the number of rows of corn planted between them each 
year until it is finally omitted altogether, giving the trees full possession of the soil. 
This mode of culture usually includes irrigation as long as corn is planted. I think 
that if the corn and irrigation were left out after the first five years, and the land given 
clean and thorough cultivation, it would be more profitable for the owners. Shallow 
cultivation is advocated by the most successful walnut-growers in the valley after the 
trees have arrived at a bearing age. The old orchards are nearly all planted too close 
together, and it is reasonable to expect that they will fail to produce good crops sooner 
than they would if they had been given more room. An examination of any old 
orchard will show that the outside rows are larger and bear better crops of nuts 
than the inside ones. Trees twenty years old often have a spread of branches 50 feet 
across, and I think it safe to say that the roots extend twice as far as the limbs. I have 
broken roots as large as a pipestem in plowing 25 feet from a tree that has been set seven 
years. In setting out young trees they should be inclined toward the coast or prevail- 
ing winds, and with a little care thev can be kept in that position. By using these pre- 
cautions and insisting on having the tap-root left at least 3 feet long when the trees are 

*Hon. Russell Heath, of Carpinteria 
t George B. West, of Stockton. 
i George W. Ford, of Santa Ana. 
§ A. Dorman, of Rivera. 



22 THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 

dug in the nursery, you will be likely to have your orchard in good shape when it is 
grown. No limbs should be allowed to grow within at least 6 feet of the ground, as 
they would interfere with the cultivation of the orchard." 

* "The orchard should be thoroughly plowed with a turning plow, early in the spring 
as soon as the ground is sufficiently dry to work pleasantly. Care should be taken not 
to plow so deep as to cut the roots, and as the trees are approached the furrows should 
be shallowed. In some cases fall plowing is practiced, turning the soil from the middle 
toward the rows and leaving a dead furrow in the middle. In the spring the operation 
is renewed and the ground left smooth for the summer. This is a good practice on dry 
land as it enables the soil to retain a larger part of the winter rainfall. After the spring 
plowing the land should be thoroughly harrowed and left. Where irrigation is prac- 
ticed the orchard should be cultivated after each application of water, usually from five 
to seven times in the season. Where irrigation is not followed the cultivator and weed- 
cutter should be used as often as necessary, in order to keep down the weeds that would 
rob the trees of their necessary moisture and plant elements. The great object of culti- 
vation is to keep the surface soil in a loose condition and prevent the evaporation of the 
moisture required by the trees for their growth. Of course, where inter-tree crops are 
grown in the orchard, these rules will have to be modified to suit the crops." 

+ " That the walnut will grow more luxuriantly and bear larger crops at' comparatively 
earlier age in deep and rich bottom land, well drained, well protected, and with plenty 
of moisture, is an obvio\is fact ; though there arises another question : whether it is 
advisable to plant walnuts— a class of trees requiring so much space and with so little 
regard to the nature of the soil— in our richest land so well adapted to the growing of 
other valuable crops that have absolutely to be raised in rich land t My experience in 
walnut culture, and for twenty years I have imported, propagated, and fruited the lead- 
ing varieties of Europe, besides "having collected a large amount of data on that subject 
from nut-growing countries, warrants me to say that walnut culture can be successfully 
carried on on the whole Pacific Coast, provided we plant none but hardy kinds ; in fact, 
the success of walnut culture in California lies exclusively in the hardiness of the kinds 
to be planted." 

WALNUTS IN OAK LAND. 

There has been considerable doubt entertained by growers as to the 
outcome of walnut orchards planted on oak land. It has been contended 
that walnut orchards so planted will never be a success; that the roots 
of the oak remaining in the soil generate poisonous gases, which event- 
ually kill the roots of the walnut with which they come in contact. 
Various orchards in the vicinity of Santa Barbara are cited as examples. 

J "The walnut requires well-drained, deep, sandy bottom land, well protected, and 
where no 'live oak' trees have grown within the last century. Everywhere where the 
live oak has been recently rooted out, the walnut tree will die about the time it bears 
the second crop, perhaps earlier. The second planted to replace will die in about the 
fifth year ; the third, in the first, second, or third year. I doubt if any walnut trees will 
do well where an oak forest has recently existed. The elder Pliny, in his work on Nat- 
ural History, written nearly two thousand years ago, speaks of this fact existing on the 
northern coast of the Mediterranean, and cautions planters from attempting fruit- 
growing where an oak forest has recently existed. There are other causes, no doubt, 
that will prevent success. Trees will die apparently without cause, and the planter, after 
waiting ten or a dozen years, will be compelled to root them out and try something else. 
One half of the orchards that have been planted will never be a success." 

§ " I have noticed in the vicinity of Santa Barbara quite a number of ' English' walnuts 
and other fruit trees being planted on land recentlv covered by live oak. These orchards 
can only result in failures, which the owners can ill afford. The precautions laid down 
in my essay before the Sacramento Convention in 1886 should not be disregarded until 
it is practically demonstrated that they are without foundation." 

IT" With regard to planting the 'English' walnut on oak land, it is a question that I 
approach with a great deal of "delicacy, especially as I am led to differ from our President 
(Mr. Cooper), a gentleman whom I esteem as high as any man in the State, as to the 
poisoning of walnuts. My place of two hundred acres was one mass of oaks, and there 
is not one single acre of the one hundred and eighty acres now in walnuts but what had 

* Wm. Moss, of Rivera. 

t Mr. Felix Gillet, of Nevada City. 

% Hon. Ellwood Cooper, essay before State Fruit-Growers' Convention, Sacramento, 1886. 

§Hon. Ellwood Cooper, address before State Fruit-Growers' Convention, Santa Bar- 
bara, 1888. 

If Hon. Russell Heath, address before State Fruit-Growers' Convention, Santa Barbara, 
1888. 



THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 23 

oaks that would cut from four to fifteen cords of stovewood, and yet I never lost a tree 
planted among the oaks. Now, whether the oak is poisonous in the soil occupied by Mr. 
Cooper's orchard and not in Carpinteria, is a question that only the analyzation of the 
soil can prove ; but in my locality the oak is not poisonous to the young walnut. The 
great mistake, in my opinion, in the raising of the walnut, is that a suitable locality is 
not obtained. 

"Since the above was submitted, I have made thorough examinations of the effects, if 
any, of the oak on the walnut, and remain of the opinion that the oak does not contain 
any substance poisonous or detrimental to the walnut. If dead timber is allowed to 
remain on land, in the decayed trunks may often be found a large worm that feeds oti 
the decayed wood. In my examinations I have never found an instance where these 
grubs interfere with the living wood of the walnut or any other tree. That many wal- 
nuts planted within the last five years have failed to become profitable, and in many 
instances have died, I think is very easily to be explained. 

"The most suitable land for the walnut is the sandy loam ; a light, deep, rich soil, with 
water not nearer the surface than 12 or 15 feet. Many of the planters have disregarded 
this requirement, and from this cause can be attributed a great proportion of the loss 
of trees. 

"In the Carpinteria Valley the water has been gradually rising. In my orchard in 
front of my house, where the water was about 18 feet deep when I planted that part 
of my orchard, it is now less than 6 feet, and I have lost about twenty acres of twenty- 
five-year-old trees, by the rotting of the roots. I caution all planters to be careful 
abotit the depth of water from the surface. In one part of my orchard I had about 
twenty acres of soft-shell walnuts all in bearing ; these trees have died to such an extent 
that I do not now replace with that variety. I can find no cause for the dying of these 
trees, and have concluded, with many others in the same fix, that the soft-shell walnut 
is a short-lived tree." 

The writer, in 1886, visited Mr. Cooper's extensive orchards at Ellwood, 
near Santa Barbara, and he very kindly showed me the walnut orchards 
where trees had died, and which land was formerly occupied by live 
oaks. The then existing conditions fully corroborated Mr. Cooper's 
views, and my observations pointed strongly to two causes: first, oak 
roots remaining in the soil, which generated poisonous gases that have 
a deadly effect on other roots; secondly, shallow soil and imperfect 
drainage, through which causes scores of trees have died all over the 
State. That poisonous gases are generated by roots of forest trees 
remaining in the soil, has been fully proven in other parts of the 
State. As an example, I will cite the orchard of Dr. Edwin Kimball, 
at Haywards. The land formerly contained many huge sycamore 
trees; these were dug up and the land planted to prunes, peaches, and 
apricots. When the apricots attained the bearing age and were in full 
fruit, they suddenly died down. The exact spot where a sycamore stood 
is shown by a vacant circle, upon which no tree of original planting- 
stands. Nearly ten years after large roots were unearthed, which still 
showed life, and upon being exposed emitted a strong, disagreeable, and 
unbearable odor. There are many other similar cases on record. This 
same sad experience was met with by other growers, who neglected to 
extract from the soil the greater portion of the roots, not only of oaks, 
but also of pines, sycamores, etc. Even willows have been the cause of 
much trouble. On the other hand, the greater portion of the largest 
orchards in the State are located where large oaks, pines, and sycamore 
trees once stood, but care and precision were exercised in removing the 
roots from the land. There are many who contend that no trees have 
died in their orchards from this cause, and they ascribe the death of 
such trees to the time of year the forest trees have been dug up. It is 
said that if the trees are dug up during the growing period, the roots 
remaining in the soil will decay in one or two seasons, acting, in this 
respect, similar to the tree itself when cut back while growing, being 
full of sap the sudden check causes death; whereas, if dug up in the 
dormant state, in winter, the roots act as a cutting, keep alive for many 



24 THE WALNUT — PLANTING, SOIL, ETC. 

years, and are only prevented from putting forth growth by being under 
ground. While the theories advanced are logical, and be the causes 
what they may, success can only result where precision is applied. In 
places where roots remaining in the ground have caused trouble, the 
growers have found that it is best to let the oaks stand, and plant trees, 
around them. They are headed back to prevent too much shade, but as 
they continue growing the roots do not interfere with the growth of the 
orchard trees. 

SOIL EXHAUSTION THROUGH THE CULTURE OF THE WALNUT, AND FERTILIZERS 

TO USE, ETC. 

By Prof. S. M. Woodbridge, Ph.D., Agricultural Chemist, Los Angeles. Prepared 

by special request. 

The walnut crop is involved in more or less mystery, and is little 
understood in the abstract, or from a chemical standpoint, although 
from a practical standpoint the matter of maintaining the original 
integrity of the soil, and in fact the building up of a poor soil, is well 
understood and readily accomplished. 

To give an illustration, let us look at the orange. In an orchard in 
the San Gabriel Valley the soil analyzed 1.14% in potash. Taking the 
soil to a depth of only 2 feet, an acre of ground would contain about 
100,000 pounds of potash; this potash would be enough to supply an 
annual crop of 20,000 pounds of oranges for more than 2,000 years; the 
figures from which the above conclusion is drawn are taken from the 
report of the State Analyst. Before the orchard was fifteen years old, 
it showed marked signs of degeneration. The practical application of 
potash in conjunction with nitrates and phosphates, some five years 
ago, revived the orchard, and the annual application of a complete 
fertilizer has since kept it in a most flourishing condition. 

Again, it is a w r eli known fact that in new ground, suited to the pur- 
pose, from 400 to 500 bushels of potatoes can be raised the first year; 
the second year scarcely one half that amount can be raised, and the 
third year the field would hardly give its seed back; and yet the soil of 
such a field would analyze practically the same at the end of the period 
as it did at the beginning. Nevertheless, the soil is exhausted from the 
practical standpoint of the farmer, that is, he cannot raise a paying 
crop of potatoes; and yet from the standpoint of the chemist the soil is 
as rich in plant-foods as ever — the little that would have been with- 
drawn by three such crops, as are above described, being only the ten 
thousandth part of the plant-food in the soil. 

What is true in regard to the exhaustion of the soil by an orange or 
potato crop is also found to be true in practice in regard to the walnut. 

Chemical science has settled the fact that nitrogen, phosphoric acid, 
and potash are the only three expensive elements that any soil is likely 
to become deficient in; therefore, as a general rule, those are the only 
elements that must be added in order to do everything that is known to 
science in order to properly feed any crop, In order, however, to make 
these elements, when applied, most effective, the soil must contain a 
sufficient amount of humus (decomposing vegetable or animal matter). 

It is a well-known fact that the best results are attained in horticul- 
ture where circumstances admit of a rotation of crops, the same crop 
not being reached oftener than once in four or five years. In an orchard 



THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia). 



PLATE VII. 





1. i 

Root-Grafting the Walnut. 
1 Root, with cion inserted, ready for waxing. 
2. Root grafted, tied, and waxed over, ready for planting. 



THE WALNUT — PROPAGATION. 25 

it is impossible to rotate a crop, as the trees are set for a lifetime; but 
the next best thing to a rotation is in keeping up a rotation of green 
crops for plowing-under, and in this way keep supplying the humus and 
nitrogen at a nominal cost. These crops, of course, are planted during 
the fall, and are grown at a time when the tree is dormant. 

In order, then, to get the best results from a walnut orchard two 
things are necessary: (1) Prevent the soil from becoming exhausted; 
and (2), keep a due amount of humus in the soil. 

The first proposition can be done by applying annually these elements 
in the proportion in which the crop, the wood, and leaf growth may 
remove them. It would be both amusing and interesting for a rich 
chemist with little to do and who might own a walnut orchard to ascer- 
tain these facts by a collection of all the leaves, new growth, and crop 
over a series of years, and his report might be most interesting to the 
few chemists who would read the same, but the farmer could scarcely 
keep awake over it. What the farmer desires to know is which and 
how much of the essential elements need to be added, and the cost of 
such application. To this question the answer can be given by the crop 
and trees themselves, although the experiments have not been carried 
over a series of years; but for two succeeding years excellent results 
have been attained by using to every 4 pounds of nitrogen, 9 pounds of 
phosphoric acid and 5 pounds of potash in the form of muriate. The 
phosphoric acid should be in the form of a super-phosphate, that is, 
treated with sulfuric (sulphuric acid), which renders the phosphate 
readily soluble in water so that it may be immediately available. 

A ton of fertilizer containing the fertilizing elements in the above 
proportions of 4% nitrogen, 9% phosphoric acid, and 5% potash, should 
not be worth to exceed $35, freight paid. 

Now, as to the amounts to be applied : 5 pounds to a tree three years old 
appears to be the limit from which any good can be derived; 12 pounds 
per tree to an eight-year-old orchard produces good results, some of the 
trees yielding 100 pounds and all the trees averaging over 75 pounds of 
nuts; on eighteen-year-old trees 25 pounds (per tree) was applied with 
satisfactory results. Taking the case of the eight-year-old trees, the cost 
of fertilizing an orchard, where the trees were twenty-eight to the acre, 
would be $5 60, or about 3^% of the value of the crop. 



(8) PROPAGATION. 

The raising of walnut seedlings is very simple, but great care and 
attention are required in all points bearing on the germination of the 
nuts. There are various methods used, but the most simple is as fol- 
lows: The walnuts are placed in sand, preparatory to planting. A 
frame, consisting of 12-inch boards set on edge, of any size desired, and 
resting on the ground, is half-filled with sand; the nuts are then spread 
thickly (4 to 6 inches) and covered with about 3 or 4 inches of sand. 
The sand is kept moist, but not too wet, and in case of lack of rain, is 
watered. An embankment of earth is made all around the frame to 
prevent the nuts from drying. They are examined from time to time, 
and as soon as the nuts indicate or show signs of sprouting they are 
taken up and planted in nursery rows, from 12 to 24 inches apart. 



26 THE WALNUT — BUDDING. 

After the first and second years' growth the plants are of a suitable 
size to bud or graft, or are left in the nursery as seedlings until large 
enough to transplant into orchard form, the second or third year. 



(9) BUDDING THE WALNUT. 

There are several methods employed in budding the walnut, among 
which the following, by the writer (published in 1889*), has proved 
very successful: Trees are budded in July, August, and as late as Sep- 
tember. The bud is cut (shown in Fig. 1) about 1^ inches long. In 
cutting the bud from the stick the cut is made deep into the wood, the 
object being to give the bud as much bark as possible. The wood in 
the bud is then partly removed; it is gouged out with the sharp point 



' •''. 



v 



Fig. 1. The bud, Fig. 2. The bud, transverse Fig. 3. The bud, 

front view. section. side view. 

of the budding-knife. This is done to allow the inner bark of the bud 
to unite with the inner bark of the stock, which union would be pre- 
vented if the wood in the bud should be allowed to remain. After the 
wood has been partly removed (as shown in Fig. 2), the bud is inserted 
into the slit made in the stock, the same as is done in the ordinary 
method of budding practiced on fruit trees. The bud is then tied tight, 
with heavy budding twine of at least 18-ply. Three weeks or so after- 
ward, if the bud has " taken," the twine is untied and tied over again; 
this is done in order to prevent the twine from cutting into the bark. 
This, however, is not required to be done if the trees are relaxing in 
growth, or are of such age as to have a bark thick enough to stand the 
pressure without injury. On young and thrifty growing trees it is best 
to loosen the twine at the third week, and it should be removed alto- 
gether at the fifth or sixth week. The buds are then allowed to lie 
dormant until spring, when the stocks are cut back to force the bud to 
start in the month of March or April, according to locality. As the 

* Annual Report of State Board of Horticulture, 1889, p. 137. 



THE WALNUT — GRAFTING. 



27 



walnut does not put forth until late in the spring, walnut stocks should 
not be cut back until they show indications of a rise of sap; with me 
this has been the most successful time. As soon as the stocks begin to 
put forth they are cut back and the buds allowed to grow. In cutting 
back the stocks great care must be exercised. They must not be cut 
back too close to the bud so as to endanger it, as the stocks invariably 
have a tendency to die back at the tip, at least an inch or more. As the 
buds start they are allowed to grow at will until they become hardy; 
they can then be trained to the remaining portion of the stock or to a 
stake, in order to produce a straight tree. After the first year's growth 
they can be transplanted to orchard form. 

ANNULAR OR RING BUDDING. 

This method is one of the simplest and safest to use on the walnut, 
and especially adapted to young trees of two or three years old, and to 
smooth limbs of large trees. In this method a ring is cut right around 





Fig. 4. 
A. The stock prepared. B. The bud. 

the stock, about an inch long. Then a ring of about the same size 
is taken from the cion, containing a bud, which is slipped into the 
corresponding space in the stock, and then bound tightly with soft cot- 
ton twine or cloth, covering it up to exclude the air. The operation 
should be performed when the trees are in full growth, during July, 
August, or September, and left to lie dormant through the winter, to be 
started in the spring. 



(10) GRAFTING THE WALNUT. 

Walnut-grafting is not as easily performed as budding. Great care 
must be exercised in the time and manner in which the operation is per- 
formed. The walnut, as a rule, cannot be grafted successfully by the 
ordinary methods practiced on fruit trees. The reason is that the cions 
contain but little wood, the pith in them being much greater than in 
cions of other trees; and when the cion is prepared (wedge-shaped) very 
little wood is left in it and the bark is so thin that, when inserted, it 
cannot unite with the stock, not being held firmly in position. Terminal 
shoots, however, have a thicker bark and more wood and are most success- 



28 THE WALNUT — GRAFTING. 

ful in grafting. Side grafting is accomplished with success, but can only 
be performed in the spring, when the sap in the stock begins to rise; this is 
necessary, as the cion must be inserted when the bark peels, in the same 
manner as a bud. The walnut does not put forth until quite late in 
spring, and to secure good, firm wood it becomes necessary to gather the 
cions before the trees start; and that they may be kept dormant are 
covered with moist sand and placed in a cellar or cool place. In this 
way they can be kept until the stocks have made sufficient growth so as 
to facilitate grafting. I have experimented in grafting the walnut for 
over twenty years, and the most successful method with me has been the 
prong graft or prong bud (of my own origin). (See Plate IX, Figs. 1 to 
5, illustrating prong budding.) In this method the small prongs found 
at the extremity of the shoots are used. (Fig. 2, Plate IX, illustrates 
the prong — cion — used, and how cut from the branch, reduced one half.) 
The prong is cut as a bud, as shown in the illustration, and the wood is 
partially removed with the point of a budding-knife, the same as in the 
method of budding herein described. The stock is first prepared by 
cutting off with a sharp saw and smoothing over with the knife; a 
vertical incision is made on the side, and the cion inserted and tied tight 
with strong budding twine of at least 18-ply. The cuts are waxed over 
with grafting wax. After the cion has started the graft is examined 
from time to time, and if it is found that the twine begins to cut into 
the stock, it is untied and tied again; this will prevent any injury to 
the stock or cion. The twine, however, should be allowed to remain as 
long as possible, as it prevents the bark surrounding the slit made on 
the stock from opening and unseating the cion, which is apt to occur 
from the action of the atmosphere causing the cion to dry out and die. 
When the cions have grown from 6 to 12 inches and assumed the 
functions of the top, this precaution is no longer necessary, and the 
twine is then removed altogether. The growth of the cions at this time, 
however, is very tender, and they may be broken off by the slightest 
touch; as a protection it is well to drive a stake at their side, to which 
they are tied with some loose material or cloth strips. When this 
method is employed on large limbs, or on the tops of trees, it is well to 
tie a piece of limb or wood of any kind on the side of the branch and to 
which the growth of the cion should be tied. Another good protection 
is to take a piece of green shoot and tie both ends to the branch so grafted, 
forming a loop over the bud, to prevent birds, etc., from sitting on the 
graft and thereby disturbing it. 

CLEFT ROOT GRAFTING. 

One of the most satisfactory methods practiced on small walnut 
stocks is the cleft root graft, and its application does not differ mate- 
rially from the method practiced on pear and apple roots. 

The small plants (only one-year-olds are used) are taken up and 
grafted indoors. (See Plate VII, Figs. 1 and 2.) They are cut off 
at the crown and split obliquely and the cion (wedge-shape) inserted and 
immediately tied with 6-ply or 8-ply budding twine or cloth, and waxed.* 
They are then heeled in sand in some convenient place, exempt from 

*Only wax the- parts cut or exposed, so that on planting the string or cloth on the 
parts not waxed may decay and not bind the stock. It is also advisable to cut the twine 
or cloth on planting. 



THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia). 



PLATE VIII. 




2 3. 

Grafting the Walnut. 

1. The cion prepared. 

2 The cion inserted in the stock, ready for waxmg. . . 

3. A cion Wed and waxed over ; growing ; three weeks after bemg grafted in the sprnig.-lrom 
photographs ; natural size. 



THE WALNUT — GRAFTING. 



29 



draughts and sunlight, as follows: On the floor of a propagating house 
or shed moist sand is spread out from 6 to 12 inches deep; then the 
grafts are put into it standing, thickly, and covered with sand. The 
entire graft to within an inch or two of the top is covered without injury 
to it. The sand should always be kept moist, but not too wet, 
as the bark of the graft is liable to decay; and again, the sand 
must not be allowed to get dry, as the bark of the graft will 
shrivel and avoid adhesion. They are kept thus stored from four 
to six weeks, during which time the parts (cion and stock) 
callous over; they are then planted in nursery rows, and soon 
after begin to grow. 

TRIANGULAR CROWN GRAFT. 



Like the preceding method (cleft root graft) this, too, has 
proved successful. The stocks (a year old) are not split, but 
instead a triangular incision is made in the side of the stock, as 
shown in Fig. 5 at C, about 1 to 1-| inches long. At this point 
the wood of the stock is generally quite solid and the pith very 
small. This cut rather consists of taking 
out of the stock a triangular piece, into 
which space a cion is inserted of the same 
shape and size. D shows the space; A the 
cion prepared for insertion. The cion (from 
terminal shoots preferred) is prepared to fit 
the corresponding space, as shown at B, and 
fitted into the cleft. It is then tied with 
cloth or twine and waxed over. 

This method is also employed with suc- 
cess in the field. The earth is removed 
from around the stocks and the tree is cut 
smoothly about the crown or where the 
swelling of the root begins. The graft 
being inserted, it is tied with cloth, and 
waxed. The soil is then banked up against 
it, covering the graft and stock to within 
an inch or two of the top of the cion. For 
making the cleft and facing the cion it is 
important that the knife be sharp to make 
a smooth cut. This operation (in the field) 
is best performed, and most successful, 
when the stocks begin to show signs of 
growth late in the spring. The cions are 
cut late in the fall, or early spring, and 
kept in sand preparatory to using. 




CLEFT SAP GRAFT. 



Much credit is due to Mr. Felix Gillet, of Nevada City, who has 
experimented with all sorts of grafting on the walnut for many years, 
for having given the public the results attained by him in the use of this 
method. The operation is performed early in the spring when the sap 
is commencing to flow, and can be used on large limbs from 3 to 5 inches 



30 THE WALNUT — BLACK. 

in diameter. The limb is sawed off and smoothed as for ordinary cleft 
grafting; instead, however, of making a single cleft through the center, 
two are made, one across the stub at each side of the center, the clefts 
then being in sapwood instead of through the heartwood and pith. The 
cion is prepared as for ordinary cleft grafting, for which purpose it is 
best to use terminal shoots. In cutting the cion great care must be 
exercised to cut only into the pith of one side. The cion having been 
inserted, the wound is bound well with cotton cloth and thoroughly 
waxed. 

(11) THE BLACK WALNUT (Juglans Nigra, Linn.). 

The relative merits of the black walnut for stocks to graft onto have 
been under consideration for many years, and this root has been exten- 
sively tried in this State, with satisfactory results. The variety mostly 
used is the Juglans Califomica, or California black walnut. (Plate X, 
Fig. 11.) In a few instances Juglans Americana, or Eastern black wal- 
nut (Plate X, Fig. 9), has been tried, but preference was given to 
the former, being indigenous to our State. The Japanese walnut 
(Juglans Sieboldiana) has also been tried, and has proved quite satis- 
factory, but is not as strong a grower as the Califomica. For a time I 
vr&s loath to believe the stock would influence the graft and cause it to 
produce nuts of a dark shell. Experiments, however, have proved the 
contrary. Trees now in bearing for over twenty years show no varia- 
tion in color of shell, but an improvement in kernel and quality of the 
nuts. The stocks are thrifty and healthy, easy of propagation, and 
easily budded and grafted. Some twenty years ago I commenced experi- 
menting in grafting and budding the wild walnut, with very satisfac- 
tory results. A plot of Juglans rupestris, growing along the mountains 
in Los Angeles County, was worked over to different varieties very satis- 
factorily, but the stock is quite scrubby and of such dwarf habit that it 
can only be recommended for dwarf purposes. The grafts took well and 
made splendid growth. In all tests made on trees in the wild state, 
nuts were produced on buds and grafts the second and third years. In 
some cases the nuts were quite small, due perhaps to the stunted con- 
dition of the stocks, for all must have been ver}*- old. The buds and 
grafts that made the strongest growth were on stocks which did not look 
so aged. These are now producing fine nuts, equal to those from the 
parent tree. 

The oldest walnut orchard budded on the Califomica is at Winters, 
Yolo County, and the trees are over twenty years old. This orchard has 
produced fine crops yearly and the nuts show a marked improvement 
over those produced by the parent trees. 

At Vacaville two rows of large black walnut trees (/. Califomica) 
were worked over to different varieties of the " English " or " Persian " 
walnut very successfully, by the prong bud method, described else- 
where, and the ordinary cleft sap graft. The trees were planted some 
thirty years ago for shade along the roadside. In the winter of 1892 
the limbs were cut back to the crotch or main stem. In the spring they 
put forth numerous shoots, which wore thinned out to a dozen or so to 
each tree, according to the spread of the branches. These new shoots 
were budded in the summer. Those that did not " take " were grafted 
in the winter. Thus a fine stand of buds and grafts was obtained, 



THE WALNUT — BLACK. 31 

which commenced to bear the second and third years. They now form 
large spreading heads, and bear regularly. 

The process of converting these apparently worthless trees, except for 
shade, into fruitful trees, was very simple, and has proved remunerative 
and entirely satisfactory to its projector. 

In Ventura County are to be seen many walnut orchards of recent 
planting budded and grafted on this stock. This was brought about by 
the satisfactory results obtained from walnut orchards so worked of 
early planting. In the past few years large plantings of walnuts have 
been made, and many growers have given preference to trees grafted 
and budded on this stock — /. Calif omica. 

VARIETIES OF THE BLACK WALNUT. 

Since the relative merits of stocks for the walnut have been discussed, 
it is deemed proper to append a list of varieties with which further 
trials can be made. The following varieties and their description 
(marked with*) are taken from a bulletin on "Nut Culture in the 
United States," issued by the Division of Pomology of the Department 
of Agriculture: 

* Gordon. — "Size large, form cubical, slightly conical at each end, 
shell of medium thickness, cracking qualities good, kernel light-colored, 
plump, quality excellent." — Virginia. 

*Missouri. — " Size medium, form oval, compressed, with quite smooth 
shell, cracking qualities good, kernel light-colored, plump, flavor pleas- 
ant, quite free from the grossness characterizing the species; quality 
very good." — Missouri. 

* Peanut. — " A rather small pyriform nut. The shell is thin and 
easily cracked, while the kernel, which is in the larger end of the nut, 
comes out entire. ' The kernel is white and of delicate flavor." — Ohio. 

*Nurza. — "A large nut with thin shell, kernel large and of good 
flavor. Also a strong grower." — Ohio. 

* Taylor. — "A quadrangular-pointed nut of good size. The shell is 
thin and easily broken with a slight blow. The kernel is large, coming 
out in halves; the meat is white and of fine quality." — Ohio. 

* Thomas. — "Size large, form oblate, compressed, slightly pointed at 
base, considerably so at apex, shell medium to thin, cracking qualities 
medium, the kernel not easily removed in perfect halves from the shell, 
flavor sweet, rich, quality good to very good." — Pennsylvania. 

American {"Eastern") (Plate X, Fig. 9). — So called by reason of 
having been produced from seed imported from the East. The tree is 
large and handsome, and reproduces itself or " comes the same " from 
seed. The seed germinates easily, and the plants stand transplanting 
and are easily budded and grafted. It makes a beautiful shade tree 
along driveways and avenues. The nut is of medium size, very dark, 
and somewhat furrowed, and hard. 

California (Juglans Calif omica, Watson) (Plate X, Fig. 11). — A 
rapid-growing tree, indigenous to the central and northern parts of the 
State. It occurs nowhere below the Sierra Madre Mountains and Coast 
Range in the wild state. " Comes the same " from seed, stands trans- 
planting, and is easily budded and grafted. The nut is of medium size, 
shell quite hard, and smooth! The kernel is quite rich and oily. This 



32 THE WALNUT —PRUNING. 

stock has come into great favor for budding and grafting onto. The 
tree attains great height, and many trees are to be seen over 100 feet 
high, and of great dimensions. This species has been confounded with 
the Dwarf or Wild Walnut (/. rupestris) indigenous to the southern 
part of the State, extending from the Tehachapi Mountains into Arizona 
and Mexico. 

Dwarf or Wild Walnut (Juglans rupestris, Eng.). — This species is 
indigenous to the southern part of the State, extending from the Tehach- 
api Mountains to the south. It is a small, dwarfish tree, but a vigorous 
grower. " Comes the same " from seed, and is easily budded and grafted, 
also bears transplanting. The nut is quite small, very hard and smooth, 
but of little or no commercial value. 



(12) PRUNING THE WALNUT. 

* " During the first year constant pruning is necessary to have the tree properly shaped. 
I have pruned in a summer as many as four or five times. Branches are apt to grow too 
rapidly, bear down with their own weight, and break off during high winds, destroying 
the symmetry of the tree and occasioning much loss of time. All lateral branches 
growing from the leader should be cultivated to assume an upward angle of about 15° to 
45° from the main leader. This can be done by clipping off all branches growing under, 
and at times cutting off .the ends. A trunk should be maintained free from limbs Z\i 
to 4^ feet from the ground. Earth should be kept away from the trunks, and if the top 
roots near the trunk are exposed, so much the better ; it will assist the tree in breathing. 
The most careful cultivation is necessary, and nothing, after the fifth vear, should be 
grown between the rows, unless you have plenty of water to irrigate by flooding all 
the ground once every eight weeks ; if you are so prepared, sow your orchard in alfalfa, 
and do no cultivating." 

t " Pruning the walnut is extremely simple and can be done by any one. When plant- 
ing the tree, don't cut the top off of one-year-old trees, but it is absolutely necessary 
to cut back a two or a three-year-old tree ; in fact, the finest young walnut orchard I 
know of in Orange County (and we have lots of fine ones down this way) was grown 
from two-year-old trees from 8 to 10 feet high, and cut back to about A\i feet, and all 
limbs below that trimmed off, except three or four, which were allowed to grow up and 
make the top of the tree Never prune the trees over 3% feet, as the bark of a tree is 
easily sunburned, and- thus it is necessary for the foliage to shade the trunk. If the 
lower limbs extend outward and are in the way of the cultivator, tie them up, for by so 
doing you can train the lower branches upward, so as to cultivate close to the tree, and 
when the orchard comes into bearing the limbs growing upward will not bend down to 
the ground with the fruit, so you cannot get within twenty feet of them with the culti- 
vator." 

% "In pruning it has been the custom to trim to a height of 6 to 7 feet, but I think 4 
to 5 feet better. Such high pruning makes the tree top-heavy, and the prevailing winds 
cause them to lean, exposing one side of the trunk to the sun, thus causing sunburn. I 
think it best to trim little, if any. It is the nature of the tree to allow the limbs to grow 
downward and fill any space of account that may have been made by pruning, while 
if allowed to grow in their natural state, the limbs will start near the ground, growing 
upward and keeping out of the way much better than when allowed to hang down. I 
have not been able as yet to grow them just as I would like in this respect, on account 
of raising crops (mostly corn) between the trees, and I find it very difficult to save the 
lower limbs while young and tender, as a very little push or strain when plowing will 
injure them next to the trunk, and they should then be cut off to save the tree from 
greater injury than the loss of a limb. Avoid crotches or forks. If a tree is about 
evenly divided the abundance of foliage the tree has in summer will cause it to split 
with a very little wind, and vou will thus lose the use of the tree for several years, if 
not altogether. If badly broken, start a new shoot near the ground, and in six years, 
with care, it will be a bearing tree." 

*Hon. Ell wood Cooper, Santa Barbara, 
t George W. Ford, Santa Ana. 

X C. A. Cauf man, of IUvera, in "California Cultivator and Poultry Keeper," October, 
1896. 



THE WALNUT (Juglans liegia). 



PLATE IX. 




2. 3. 5 - 

1 Prong-bud growing, showing the stock where first cut back and waxed over ; also the 
' twine tied loosely to prevent the opening of the bark and endangering the bud. 

2 The bud prepared, ready for insertion into the slit in the stock. 

3. The stock prepared, ready to receive the bud. 

4. The bud inserted, before being tied. . 

5. The operation complete.— From photographs ; natural size. 



THE WALNUT —HARVESTING. 33 



(13) HARVESTING. 

Harvesting the walnut is very simple, as most of the nuts do not 
have to be picked, for they, of their own accord, drop to the ground 
at maturity; yet considerable attention must be paid to the gathering 
of the crops so as to have clean, bright nuts that may command a high 
price and ready sale. The walnut harvest begins in September and 
ends in November. In some sections the crop comes in quite early and 
is gathered in September, overlapping into October; in others, the crop 
is not harvested so early; but October is the principal month, sometimes 
overlapping into November. 

Some of the growers collect the nuts from the ground as they fall 
every day, others collect them every other day, and some every third 
day, until most of the crop has fallen of its own accord, and those 
remaining on the trees are knocked down by means of a pole. Boys 
and men are also employed to climb the trees and shake the nuts down; 
others agitate the limbs with a long pole having a hook at the end. 
The nuts that are ready to drop come down easily, and are picked up 
and dried on trays in the sun. It generally takes from three to four 
pickings to gather all the nuts from a tree. When the husk inclosing 
the nut shows no signs of cracking it is an indication that the nut is yet 
unripe, and when knocked down the kernels of many of these generally 
dry away and do not fill well. Then, again, if the nuts are allowed to 
hang on the trees or remain on the ground too long after falling, they 
absorb moisture and rapidly deteriorate in flavor, color, and keeping 
qualities. In the walnut sections along the coast damp fogs and dew 
prevail during the harvest time, rendering the husks quite moist, and 
the nuts contained inside become stained by the acid juice of the husks, 
which, if not removed, renders the nuts quite black, and lessens their 
market value. This acid is very strong and adhesive, and to remove it 
the nuts have to be washed and afterward dried. Hon. Ellwood 
Cooper, of Santa Barbara, has a most perfect apparatus for washing 
and drying the walnut, which is an invention of his own. It consists 
of an iron cylinder with a long opening on the top side, where the nuts 
are put in. When the nuts are washed the cylinder will turn with the 
opening down, thus letting the walnuts and water out. As with all 
other apparatus of this kind, it has to be seen to be appreciated. They 
are made by the Fulton Iron Works, of San Francisco, and cost from 
$125 to $140. 

* "The 'hard ' shells should and the 'soft ' and 'paper' shells must be gathered as soon 
as possible after dropping from the trees, as it injures the quality and appearance of 
the nuts to remain long on the ground. They are usually dried on trays about 3 feet 
wide by 6 feet long, holding about one hundred pounds each. 'Soft' and 'paper' shells 
should be dried in the shade, and many of the growers have buildings for that purpose. 
After they are thoroughly dried they are bleached and then run over a screen with a 
one-inch mesh, into strong sacks of uniform size, each sack bearing the registered trade- 
mark of the ' Los Nietosand Ranchito Walnut Growers' Association,' and also the name 
of the individual grower, thereby settling the question of responsibility in case the nuts 
are not up to the required standard." 

t "There are different modes of gathering - : some clean the trees at once, and others 
go over them several times. 1 pick what has fallen without knocking. 1 then tap those 
limbs lightly on which the nuts are ripest, and the third time over I aim to clean the 
trees. The walnuts are picked up and put in sacks and barrels, so as to be easily 

* A. Downer, of Rivera. _ non 
t Joseph Sexton, essay before Ninth State Fruit-Growers' Convention, 1888. 

3— w 



34 THE WALNUT — HARVESTING. 

handled, and hauled to a sunny place to dry, and should be placed on elevated plat- 
forms made of narrow boards, with spaces of one fourth of an inch between each board. 
The platform should be about 8 feet wide and 40 feet long, or as long as two men can 
handle a canvas to cover the beds, which should be done every night the dew falls. The 
nuts should be stirred in these beds once or twice each day, and with favorable weather 
they will dry sufficiently in three days, and are ready for market. 1 have always dried 
my walnuts by the sun and they have given good satisfaction, and for small orchards 
I think it is the cheapest and best way. Some dry by evaporation and claim it is 
preferable to the sun ; that it sets the oil quickly and prevents the nut from becoming 
rancid. Others claim that it makes them so ; but be this as it may, those having large 
orchards cannot depend on drying all by natural heat, and the drier will have to be 
used, even if it is not so good for the nut." 

*" In handling the nuts, I cure in dry-houses by artificial heat, heating sufficient to 
evaporate the water and set the oil of the nut. When this is done the nuts will keep 
sweet for an indefinite time. I have kept them as an experiment, in my store-house, 
which is of concrete, for five years, and at the end of that time they were as sweet as 
when first cured. With my facilities, I cure them in eight hours. In preparing them 
for market, I have a washing apparatus — invented by Mr. Cooper— which I use if the 
nuts are discolored, as they often are by coming in contact with leaves or shucks when 
there is dew or rain. Directly after washing they are thoroughly dried and cured in the 
dry-house." 

t " In gathering soft-shells, the nuts should not be left long on the ground, as the sun 
and fog will cause the shell to crack and the nut to become ruined. They should not 
be left long in the gathering-sacks, as they will then sweat and turn black. If the nuts 
are to be washed it should be done as soon as emptied from the picking-sacks, as they 
will then clean much easier. After this, spread in trays for drying. If to be bleached 
they should be thoroughly dry before. We use trays 3 by 6 feet, with sides 4 or 6 
inches high, and a slat bottom with %-inch space between slats. For the past few 
years all walnuts grown in Rivera have been scoured by placing them in a wire cylinder, 
washing them and revolving it for five or ten minutes, or longer if necessary to make 
them clean, then thiow on water enough to wash clean before taking out of washer. 
This greatly improves their appearance, removing all fiber and pieces of hull that might 
be sticking to them. It also gives them a much smoother appearance. Now place them 
in trays, and dry." 

ANNUAL AND BIENNIAL CROPS. 

During many years the opinion entertained by many, that the walnut 
was a biennial bearer — that is, a crop could only be expected every 
other year — became prevalent, and was generally believed. This idea 
originated in the minds of some who could not be satisfied unless they 
saw all trees heavily laden with walnuts every year, and also owing to 
many of the orchards being planted to those singular and unproductive 
trees referred to elsewhere. On this account — the idea having become 
general — many hesitated about going into the business. As a rule, fruit- 
growers are not accustomed to wait for results, as one must do in the 
case of the walnut. Since the principal walnut plantations have come 
into bearing, this idea has been dispelled, it having been proved a fallacy. 
For about twelve years the orchards of twenty years ago have been bear- 
ing, and while they prove to be regular bearers, show that one year they 
bear a heavy crop, and the next one not so heavy, but a crop may be 
depended on every year; so that the walnut, while it may be considered 
a biennial bearer, must be classed as a tree producing regular crops, or 
a good bearer. 

COMMERCIAL GRADES. 

The walnut crop of the State is classified commercially under the 
following category, viz.: 

Hard-shells include all nuts having a hard shell; these take in the 
numerous varieties of the so-called " English " walnut. 

*Hon. Russell Heath, essay before Eleventh State Fruit-Growers' Convention, 1889. 
t C. A. Cauf man, of Rivera, in "California Cultivator and Poultry Keeper," October, 
1896. 



THE WALNUT — ENEMIES. 35 

Soft-shells include all nuts having a soft shell, and take in the 
improved varieties of the so-called " English " walnut, and foreign 
varieties of this texture. 

Paper-shells include varieties of walnuts having an extra thin shell. 

The walnut-growers of Southern California have agreed upon a uni- 
form method of grading, which is by passing the nuts over a screen with 
a one-inch mesh, and making two grades only for the market. The 
paper-shells are kept separate, and sold as a fancy grade. The marketing 
methods adopted by the cooperative societies are to receive the nuts 
from the growers as they come from the orchard, and sulphur, grade, 
sack, and sell them. 

The walnut is marketed in sacks, specially made, and holding about 
120 pounds. Some, however, use the common grain sack, holding 
about 65 pounds. Before sacking, many growers place the walnuts in a 
wire cylinder of one-inch mesh, the friction of which on revolving gives 
the nuts a smooth appearance, and thus adds to their commercial value. 



(14) ENEMIES OF THE WALNUT. 

The walnut, so far, has fewer enemies than most trees, and the few 
that attack it are not considered detrimental to its culture in a high 
degree, for they are easily subdued. These are treated of separately in 
this chapter. 

RED SPIDER. 

Tetranychus telarius. 

This spider, or mite, attacks different species of trees, shrubs, etc., 
also the walnut. It is very small, and can hardly be seen without the 
aid of a glass. 

This insect, while not very troublesome on the walnut, is kept in 
check by dusting sulphur over the trees. The lime, sulphur, and salt 
solution, applied in winter, and the summer remedy, given below, have 
practically exterminated the pest on walnut trees. 

Winter Remedy. — Unslacked lime, 40 pounds; sulphur, 20 pounds; 
stock salt, 15 pounds; water to make 60 gallons. Place 10 pounds of 
lime and 20 pounds of sulphur in a boiler, with 20 gallons of water, and 
boil over a brisk fire, for not less than one hour and a half, or until the 
sulphur is thoroughly dissolved. When this takes place, the mixture 
will be of an amber color. Next place in a cask 30 pounds of unslacked 
lime, pouring over it enough hot water to thoroughly slack it; and, 
while it is boiling, add the 15 pounds of salt. When this is dissolved, 
add to the lime and sulphur in the boiler, and cook for half an hour 
longer, when the necessary amount of water to make the 60 gallons 
should be added. 

Summer Remedy. — Sulphur, 3 pounds; caustic soda (98%), 2 pounds; 
whale-oil soap, 25 pounds; water to make 100 gallons. Boil the sulphur 
and caustic soda together in about 2 gallons of water; when the sulphur 
becomes dissolved, add the soap and boil until thoroughly dissolved, 
then add water to make 100 gallons of solution, and apply warm. 



36 THE WALNUT — ENEMIES. 

YELLOW SPIDER OR MITE. 

Tetranychus. 
Apply same treatment as for red spider. 

WALNUT SCALE. 

Aspidiotus Juglans regia, Corns. 

The walnut is subject to infection from this scale peculiar to itself, 
and known as the walnut scale. The scale, however, has not proved a 
pest among our walnut trees. The old trees do not suffer from its 
attacks, as it infests the large limbs principally. 

Remedy (applied when trees are dormant in winter). — Lime, 25 
pounds; sulphur, 20 pounds; salt, 15 pounds. Take 10 pounds of lime, 
20 pounds of sulphur, and 20 gallons of water; boil until the sulphur is 
thoroughly dissolved. Take the remaining 15 pounds of lime and 15 
pounds of salt, and when thoroughly slacked, mix together and add 
enough water to make in all 60 gallons of solution; strain -and spray 
warm. 

BROAD-NECK BORER. 

Prionus lacticollis, Drury. 

This gigantic beetle appears during July and August, but at times 
much earlier, and also late in winter. The beetle measures from 1^ to 




Fig. 6. 



2 inches in length. Color dark brown, nearly black. Possesses strong, 
thick jaws. In the male the antennae are rather slender; in the female 
they are not so stout, and the body is much broader. The larva (Fig. 
7) is a large borer with a broad neck. It measures from 2-£ to 3 inches 
in length. The color of the larva is j^ellowish white. The head is quite 
small and is reddish brown. There is a light blue line down the back. 
As a rule it mostly attacks trees and vines just below the surface. It 
bores a hole through the center of the root, or into the trunk. On the 
trunk of trees and vines it never bores very deep, seemingly preferring 



THE WALNUT — ENEMIES. 37 

to work just under the bark. The larva cannot easily be discovered, for 
the reason that the trees do not begin to show the effects until the larva 
has had time to develop to its full size, when it becomes a voracious 
feeder. The larva remains in that state three days, and changes to the 
chrysalis state about the month of June, as the beetles generally make 
their appearance in July. 

Remedy. — It is very difficult to ascertain the presence of borers before 
the trees indicate their presence. Walnut trees sometimes are observed 
to be bleeding (oozing sap) from a certain spot; this indicates a borer, 
or having been damaged otherwise. However, the cause should be 




Fig. 7. 

carefully looked into by cutting into the bark, and the borer destroyed. 
The wound should then be covered over with such material that will 
prevent the action of the atmosphere from injuring the tree. 

SPAN WORM. 

In 1891 there appeared in this State, at Santa Barbara, a caterpillar 
commonly known as the "span worm," infesting the walnut in great 
numbers, and in some places the trees were almost completely defoliated. 
The insect is easily subdued by the following remedy: Paris green, 1 
pound; water, 200 gallons. The remedy is applied as soon as the cater- 
pillars make their appearance in the spring. 



WALNUT APHIS. . 

This insect attacks the walnut in some sections, and its exudations 
form on the tree a sort of "honey dew," which forms into a fungus and 
renders the foliage and husks quite black. 

The black Australian ladybugs, Rhizobius vev trails, Rhizobius debelis, 
and Rhizobius Toowoombse, have kept this insect in check, through which 
agencies the injury is not felt. 

WALNUT BACTERIOSIS. 

The only known disease, aside from " root knot," reported as attack- 
ing the walnut, which has caused some alarm, is a species of fungi. 

*"Ifc is not known as yet whether the primary cause of the trouble is due to some 
derangement of the vital functions of the plant or to parasitic organisms. The progress 
and destructive action of the disease are certainly very apparent. A small black spot 
first appears on the side of the nut husk while the'kernel is still in the milk. The death 
of tissue beneath this spot gradually extends, spreading inward, and soon reaches the 
shell. Unless the shell is already hard the decay penetrates through the soft meat of 
the nut within, and the whole is soon disorganized and turns black. * * * A study 

* Report of Division of Vegetable Pathology. Department of Agriculture, 1893, p. 272. 



38 THE WALNUT — ENEMIES. 

of the diseased tissue shows the presence of a hacillus, the organism being constantly- 
present. Pure cultures of the bacillus have been obtained from spring inoculations, the 
tissue of the nut husk being too lirm in the latter part of the season to test the action of 
the organism with any degree of certainty. Observations indicate that unfavorable root 
conditions for the trees may have an important bearing on the primary development of 
the trouble." 

This disease was reported as being prevalent among walnut trees in 
the central part of the State in 1891. Since then, however, the trees are 
said to have recovered, and, on investigation, it was found that it was 
not this disease, but the trouble was caused by the soil drying out in the 
summer, causing the trees to lose considerable of their foliage and the 
nuts to shrivel. 

This bacterial or mysterious disease has made its appearance in vari- 
ous walnut orchards in different parts of the State, and threatens to seri- 
ously affect the walnut groves unless checked by some effective remedy. 
The disease has been termed Bacteriosis of walnuts, by Prof. Newton B. 
Pierce, Assistant U. S. Pathologist, and is described* by him as follows: 

" Bacteriosis of walnuts is a bacterial disease of the nut, branch, and leaf parts of the 
Persian walnut {Juglans regia). Inoculation experiments have demonstrated that other 
forms of Juglans may also be artificially infected by the organism. Under natural con- 
ditions the nut of the Persian tree is very commonly infected in the blossom, at or about 
the time of pollination. Secondary infections may take place through any portion of 
the hull of the tender nut, especially during the more rapid growth of spring. The new 
shQots and leaves may be infected at any portion which is tender and rapidly growing, 
but most of these infections actually take place at or near the growing point of such 
shoots, and only become distinct to the naked eye after rapid growth has left the infected 
part some distance down the branch. Injury to the cells of the nut, branch, or leaf parts 
is effected by the organism by means of an enzym, or ferment. This enzym acts chem- 
ically upon the tissues surrounding the point of infection, destroying the cells and pre- 
paring them as pabulum for the multiplying bacilli. This enzym is capable of destroying 
the tender cells of the hull, newly forming shell, and the contents of the kernel. As any 
or all of these parts become hard with age, less injury is done through infection by this 
germ. In case of blossom infection the nut is usually badly diseased, and, in a majority 
of cases, will fall when one third or two thirds grown. Lateral infection of the hull is 
less likely to wholly destroy the 7iut, but very commonly causes it to fall or the hull to 
adhere to the shell in such a manner as to make the nut unfit for market. Wherever 
the nut becomes infected the parts eventually turn back, owing to the oxidation of the 
tannic acid. When the disease is actually spreading, however, a circle next the healthy 
tissue usually assumes a watery appearance, which may be used as a character quite 
distinctive of this disease. This watery ring is where the enzym is acting upon the 
healthy cells often in advance of the presence of the organism itself. The characters 
here given for infected nuts are equally applicable to infected branches. 

"The germs of this disease are capable of wintering either in the diseased branch or 
nut. 

"The treatment of walnut bacteriosis has already shown some beneficial results. 
Over forty acres of spraying experiments were set on foot last spring. This work was 
done with the leading fungicides, but as the disease is now known to be of bacterial 
nature, it will be attempted to prevent the same by means of some of the leading germi- 
cides, with which, applied as winter sprays, it is hoped to obtain even better and cheaper 
results than with the standard fungicides. As this work is still in progress, and certainly 
cannot be completed inside of another year, it cannot be summarized at this time. It 
may be said, however, in absence of the perfection of better methods, that the Bordeaux 
mixture applied to the tree just before the growth of spring starts, and again to the nuts 
as soon after pollination as possible, will certainly prevent a portion of the infections 
which would otherwise take place. It has also been found of advantage to gather and 
destroy diseased nuts, and to prune away diseased branches during the winter. It is 
hoped that another season given to the testing of germicides may develop some more 
specific manner of preventing infection. No treatment looking to the cure of diseased 
nuts or branches may be hoped for ; all treatment must be preventive." 

In the " California Fruit-Grower " of October 17, 1896, Professor Pierce 
adds to the above the following note: 

"The walnut disease has a wide distribution on this coast, extending as far north as 
Stockton, and south to. San Diego County. There probably are, however, large inter- 
vening regions not affected. The disease* does no special damage to the year-old wood 

* In California Fruit-Grower, September 2G, 1896. 



THE WALNUT — AEEA OF CULTURE IN STATE. 



59 



only spreading a new growth, hence there is no clanger whatever of the tree being killed 
outright— it is largely a matter of loss of crop and injury to spring growth. Its spread 
will largely depend on the atmospheric conditions each spring. Moisture of the atmos- 
phere is favorable to the disease, and a dry atmosphere is unfavorable to it." 



BOOT KNOT OR GALLS. 



(Plate XVII, Fig. 2.) 



Among walnut trees these so-called " root knots " or " galls " have of 
late been quite prevalent. The origin of this curious disease is not 
fully known, but, in some cases, it is the work of a minute insect— the 
nematode. So far, the best remedy is to cut away the knots or galls and 
completely remove the affected wood, and apply a solution of blue- 
stone in the fall, as strong as the water will dissolve. This is applied 
with a swab, and the earth again thrown back. The safest way to use 
bluestone is in the form of Bordeaux mixture, which can be applied 
any time of year. Take sulphate of copper, 16 pounds; lime, 30 pounds. 
Dissolve the sulphate of copper in 22 gallons of water; in another vessel 
slack the lime in 6 gallons of water. When the latter mixture has 
cooled, pour it slowly into the copper solution, care being taken to mix 
the fluids by constant stirring. 



(15) AREA OF WALNUT CULTURE IN STATE. 

The walnut is now found growing throughout the State in almost 
every county. In 1892 a tree census was made by the State Board of 
Horticulture, through agents in the field, and the following acreage was 
found to be in walnuts: 



County. 


Bearing, 
Acres. 


Not 
Bearing, 
Acres. 


Total Acres. 


Alameda _ 

Alpine 


28 


8 


36 


Amador.. 

Butte 


3 

5 

12 

20 


6 
7 

11 
40 
50 


9 
12 


Calaveras 


23 


Colusa .. _. ... 


60 


Contra Costa 


50 


Del Norte 






El Dorado 


3 

10 

30 

3 

1 

30 


5 

60 
50 


8 


Fresno* 

Glenn 


70 
80 


Humboldt 


3 


Inyo 


3 

41 


4 


Kern .. 


71 


Kings 

Lake . _ 




15 


60 

2 

37 

1 
4 


75 


Lassen 


2 


Los Angeles 


1,752 


1,789 


Marin .. 


1 


Mariposa.. 


8 


12 


Merced 


7 


7 


14 


Modoc . -- 




Mono .- 








Monterey. ... 


7 

12 

13 

1,467 


16 

28 

6 

1,125 


23 




40 


Nevada. - 


19 


Orange - 


2,592 



* Before Madera County was formed. 



40 



THE WALNUT — AREA OF CULTURE IN STATE. 
Area of Walnut Culture in State— Continued. 



County. 


Bearing, 
Acres. 


Not 

Bearing, 

Acres. 


Total Acres. 


Placer 


7 


15 


22 


Plumas 




Sacramento 

San Benito .. 


26 

35 

13 L 

389 

27 

245 


18 
9 

70 
178 

42 
234 


44 
44 


San Bernardino* 

San Diego 


201 
567 


San Joaquin 


69 


San Luis Obispo 

San Mateo ..- 


479 


Santa Barbara 


1,117 

10 

3 


786 

7 

10 


1,903 
17 


Santa Clara . 


Santa Cruz . 


13 


Sbasta _ 




Sierra 


2 
1 

12 

38 




2 


Siskiyou 

Solano 


1 

57 

42 

3 

2 

26 


2 
69 


Sonoma 

Stanislaus 


80 
3 


Sutter 


13 
4 

20 

4 

7 

997 


15 


Tehama.. 


30 


Trinity 

Tulare 

Tuolumne 

Ventura .. 


20 


8 
" 6 
5,308 


12 
13 

6,305 


Yolo 


Yuba 


5 


3 


8 






Totals 


6,520 


8,392 


14,912 



No reports were made from Alpine, Del Norte, Modoc, Mono, and 
Plumas counties, where it is doubtful, on account of climatic conditions, 
if walnut trees will grow. On the other hand, no reports were received 
from Mendocino, San Mateo, Shasta, and Yolo counties, where orchards 
of recent planting are located. Thus it will be seen that the bulk of 
the walnut orchards are in the lower counties, where the tree finds a 
congenial home and most favorable conditions essentially required. 
Ventura County leads, with 6,305 acres; Orange is next, with 2,592 
acres; Santa Barbara is third, with 1,903 acres; then comes Los Angeles 
with 1,789 acres, San Diego with 567 acres, San Luis Obispo with 479 
acres, and San Bernardino with 201 acres. The total acreage in the 
State in that year was given at 14,912 acres, of which 6,520 were in 
bearing. Readers no doubt understand how difficult it is to obtain 
accurate statistics, and while we make no pretention of the above figures 
being strictly correct, yet we believe they are approximately correct and 
show to what extent this industry is carried on in the various counties. 
The County Assessors are obliged to gather a complete tree census every 
year, and while they endeavor to comply with the law as well as they 
can, they are hindered from furnishing a true account through the 
laxity of the growers, who reluctantly give the figures of their orchards. 
The gathering of such statistics yearly, however, serves a good purpose, 
as the reports show where fruits of the different kinds are produced 
and the extensions that are made in this line. 



Before Riverside County was formed. 



THE WALNUT — CULTURAL RANGE IN THE UNITED STATES. 



41 



According to the Assessors' returns there were growing in 1896 the 
following number of walnut trees in the State, in the various counties: 



Alameda 2,200 

Amador 250 

Butte 1,1X5 

Calaveras 500 

Colusa 7,880 

Contra Costa. 4,650 
El Dorado.— 1,125 

Fresno 2,279 

Glenn - 12,000 

Inyo 390 

Kern 981 

Los Angeles.. 140,675 



Marin 75 

Mariposa 280 

Madera 71 

Mendocino .. 112 

Merced 933 

Modoc 56 

Monterey 478 

Napa 11,350 

Nevada 3,000 

Orange 137,223 

Placer 1,685 

Riverside 7,803 



Sacramento.. 3,272 
San Benito... 3,405 
S'n Bernardi'o 11,500 
San Diego.... 19,491 
San Joaquin. 2,475 
S'n L'is Obispo 17,595 
San Mateo... 400 
Santa Barbara 21,010 
Santa Clara .. 11,601 
Santa Cruz. -. 4,580 
Shasta 2,406 



Sierra 50 

Solano 2,979 

Sonoma 4,286 

Stanislaus 270 

Sutter.... 2,734 

Tehama 7,414 

Trinitv 50 

Tulare. 350 

Tuolumne 985 

Ventura 69,819 

Yuba 1,900 



Total - 525,753 

Note. — The Assessor of Lake County returns the following figures, which are not in 
the above list, viz.: Under one year, 10,083 ; under two years, 351 ; under three years, 32 ; 
under four years, 308. 

The walnut is generally planted at from 40 to 50 feet apart, and as 
an average 40 feet would be safe to calculate the acreage of the State. 
Therefore, allowing twenty-seven trees to the acre, at 40 feet apart, we 
have in the State 19,472 acres in 1896, as per Assessors' returns, of which 
8,814 acres are in bearing, and 10,658 acres are non-bearing. 

VALUATION OF WALNUT ORCHARDS. 

As indicating the value of a walnut orchard (irrespective of the land 
or location), the following schedule of valuations, fixed by a convention 
of Assessors of the southern counties in 1891, is appended: 

1 to 3 years planted.. - $5 00 per acre. 

4 years planted - 10 00 per acre. 

5 years planted --- 15 00 per acre. 

6 years planted .- - 20 00 per acre. 

15 years planted - 100 00 per acre. 



(15) CULTURAL RANGE OF THE WALNUT (Juglans Regia) IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 

According to " Nut Culture in the United States," the cultural range 
of the walnut in the United States is mostly confined to the Pacific 
Coast, and California in particular. *" East of the Rocky Mountains 
the Persian walnut has been most successful in a limited area along the 
Atlantic slope, from New York southward through New Jersey, south- 
western Pennsylvaia, central Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. 
The tree endures the winters in favored localities near the coast as far 
north as Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, but has never 
been planted there except in very small way. Some very fine old trees 
are reported from Rochester, N. Y., where they are in old gardens in the 
suburbs of the city. The finest and most fruitful specimens reported 
are at Fordham, N. Y., Princeton, N. J., Germantown and Philadelphia, 
Pa., and Georgetown, D. C, some of these being a hundred years old 
and bearing large crops of nuts of fair quality." 

*"~Nut Culture in the United States." Special Report, Department of Agriculture, 
1896, p. 29. 



42 THE WALNUT — CULTURE IN EUROPE. 

A few trees are mentioned as existing at Marietta, Pa., at Red Hill, 
Va., at Fall Church, Va., in Delaware, Florida, and the Mississippi 
Valley, with fair and no success. In Michigan but few trees have been 
planted, and late experiments in a limited way in Indiana are quite 
promising, also in Kentucky and Tennessee. In Louisiana a few 
experiments promise well, but are very limited in scope, and the same 
is said of Texas. In Arizona the walnut has been planted quite exten- 
sively, and from specimens exhibited from there, that territory is bound 
to become a competitor with California in the walnut trade, and the 
same applies to Oregon, where the industry is now being pursued. In 
California the walnut finds the conditions for its culture the most favor- 
able, and the industry is extending annually. 



(17) WALNUT-GROWING IN EUROPE* 

By Hon. Eugene Germain, U. S. Consul, Zurich, Switzerland. 






In answer to a letter from the Los Nietos and Ranchito Walnut- 
Growers' Association of California, of June 4th, requesting information 
about the foreign walnut crop, I said: 

«" Switzerland does not grow walnuts on a large scale, but almost every farmer in the 
valleys has a few trees scattered on his ranch, and principally along the roadways. The 
annual output is small and some years not sufficient to supply the home demand. In 
years of abundance, a good article of salad oil is made from walnuts. The trees are 
hardy and not subject to scale, blight, or other diseases, the only serious enemy of the 
walnut being late frosts, of which there were none this season. The principal walnut- 
growing districts of Europe are France, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. 

"I will at once take the necessary steps to obtain the information you desire, and 
within two weeks or so post you, if possible, on this season's crop outlook." 

I now beg to inform the association, through the Department, that 
from reports I have received from the United States Consuls at Frank- 
fort, Vienna, Naples, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Castellamare, and Sorrento, 
I am able to report as follows: 

Walnuts are, to a certain extent, as in Switzerland, grown all over 
Europe, but in most countries, such as Germany, Belgium, Holland, 
etc., the yield is small, and some years not sufficient to supply the 
home demand, the deficit being supplied from the more favored walnut- 
growing countries. Thus it will be seen that France, Italy, and Austria- 
Hungary are the only countries raising that article in sufficient 
quantities for export. 

FRANCE. 

The French walnut-growing districts are the departments of Dordogne, 
Correze, Lot, and the Grenoble district, in the department of Isere. The 
Grenoble nuts are of especially fine quality, being of the soft-shell variety, 
large, white meat, and running uniformly. These nuts yield the grower 
from 93 to 105 francs per 100 kilograms (about 8 to 9.18 cents per 
American pound). The latter price is for Grenoble nuts. 

The crop in France this year is good. It compares favorably with 
former years, and is as good as in 1895. The 1895 crop was above the 
average, and that of 1894 below. 

♦Consular Report No. 192, pp. 149-151, September, 1896. 



THE WALNUT — CULTURE IN EUROPE. 43 

The principal points of export for France are Bordeaux, Marseilles' 
and Havre. 

The trees in France are not subject to scale, blight, or other diseases. 
The orchards are mostly small and owned by farmers. 

ITALY. 

The Italian walnut-growing districts are the Neapolitan provinces 
around Naples, Castellamare di Stabia, and Sorrento. The points of 
export are Naples and Sorrento. 

In Italy, this year's crop compares favorably with former years. 
Last year's (1895) crop was one fourth less than a medium crop and 
somewhat inferior to the average. 

The principal growing district is Piassio di Sorrento. The trees are, 
to some extent, owing to climatic influences, subject to scale and blight 
diseases. The walnuts bring on an average $9 25 per 100 kilograms, 
or from 4| to 5i cents per American pound. The extent of orchards is 
the same as in France. 

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. 

The walnut-growing districts of Austria are in the lower part of the 
empire, or what is known as " Nieder Oestreich." In first line, comes 
what is known as the Steiermark, where the crop is a medium one; 
second, M'ahren, a good crop; and third, Bosnia, where the crop pros- 
pects are excellent. Last year's crop was a light, medium one in the 
above-named districts, and the nuts, as a rule, are poor, not well filled, 
small, and of the hard, thick-shelled variety. In Hungary, the districts 
of Nagy, Banya, and Grosswardein produce an excellent nut of good 
quality, large, white meated, and well filled, and, as my informant tells 
me, compares favorably with the French Marbeaux nuts. No figures as 
to prices are given. 

The point of export for Austria-Hungary is Trieste. 

Trees are hardy and not subject to diseases, as scale, etc. 

WALNUT EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES. 

In order that the California walnut-grower may know where he has to 
look for competition, and what quantities of walnuts are exported to the 
United States, I have copied and give below the points of shipment and 
the declared values of walnut exports in dollars (I am unable to get 
figures as to quantities) to the United States for the last two quarters 
of the years 1894 and 1895, these being the periods of the year in which 



44 



THE WALNUT — CULTURE IN EUROPE. 



walnuts are gathered and shipped, and as given in the United States 
Treasury returns for the above-named years: 



Whence Exported. 


1895. 


1894. 


French. 
Havre . 


$50,832 39 

156,579 01 

58,886 00 

73,584 00 

2,624 43 
10,256 00 
34,076 00 


$12,281 00 




82,282 00 


Grenoble district - 


52,788 00 




174,445 00 


Italian. 
(Jastellamare di Stabia 


71,809 32 




19,755 85 


Sorrento - - 


None. 



Austria-Hungary is not credited with any walnut export to the 
United States. The only other country growing walnuts which exports 
them to New York and San Francisco that I know of, is Chile. These, 
as a rule, reach New York and San Francisco in the month of August, 
and the only data I can find in the United States Treasury returns as 
to the walnut export from that source is that contained in the returns 
for*the quarter ended September 30, 1894, in which Chile is credited 
with an export figure of $5,844 48 for that year. No figures are given 
for 1895, and I presume no walnuts were received. 

Zurich, July 14, 1896. 



THE WALNUT. 



PLATE X. 




».* 



iUtt ! 






H 1 





9. 10. 11. 

JUGLANS .REGIA, JUGLANS NlGRA, AND JuGLANS SlEBOLDIANA. 



THE WALNUT 



PLATE XI. 




M 








JUGLANS REGIA. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE X. 
. THE WALNUT. 

1. California Paper-Shell. 

2. "English" (so called). 

3. Mayette. 

4. Japanese (/. Sieboldiana) . 

5. Franquette. 

6. Ford's Improved Soft-Shell. 

7. Cluster. 

8. Rivera Soft-Shell. 

9. American Black (/. Americana). 

10. Improved Soft-Shell. 

11. California Black (/. Calif ornica). 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




I llll II 
000 918 833 2 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XL 



THE WALNUT. 



1. Fertile. 

2. Mobart. 

3. Serotina (St. John). 

4. Gant (Syn. Bijou). 

5. Grenoble. 

6. Ford's Eureka. 

7. Rivera Hard-Shell. 

8. Proeparturiens. 

9. Charberte. 



C 



. TRRftRV OF CONGRESS 

■m 

000 918 833 * • 



